Kansas will visit Kentucky and Baylor is set to host Arkansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge next season.

The leagues on Thursday announced the 10 matchups set for Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. All 10 of the Big 12 members and all but four of the Southeastern Conference teams will participate.

The other games include: Alabama at Oklahoma, Auburn at West Virginia, Florida at Kansas State, Texas Tech at LSU, Mississippi at Oklahoma State, TCU at Mississippi State, Iowa State at Missouri and Texas at Tennessee.

The SEC has held the edge in five of the last six years.

Kansas will visit Kentucky and Baylor is set to host Arkansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge next season.The leagues on Thursday announced the 10 matchups set for Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. All 10 of the Big 12 members and all but four of the Southeastern Conference teams will participate.The other games include: Alabama at Oklahoma, Auburn at West Virginia, Florida at Kansas State, Texas Tech at LSU, Mississippi at Oklahoma State, TCU at Mississippi State, Iowa State at Missouri and Texas at Tennessee.The SEC has held the edge in five of the last six years.

SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchups set for January 2023

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto announced on Wednesday (June 15) that Randy Cole has returned to Kansas State for a second stint as the Wildcats' assistant coach in charge of its men's and women's cross country teams.

A nine-time national coach of the year and a 2002 NJCAA Track and Field Hall of Fame Inductee for his efforts in building Barton County Community College into a national powerhouse, Cole spent eight seasons (1997-2004) at K-State as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field under Rovelto.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Cole back to K-State," said Rovelto. "He has served two previous stints at K-State, the first as a graduate assistant with Coach Miller and the second as out cross country and distance coach a few years after I had first been appointed the head coach at Kansas State. Randy has a broad background having had extremely successful stints at Barton Count Community College, Wyoming and most recently Lindenwood. Coach had great success here at K-State and coached a number of our finest middle distance and distance runners in our school history. He is a very fine coach and an even better person. Our middle distance and distance athletes will have a coach who cares tremendously about their growth as an athlete as well as their education."

During his first stint at K-State, Cole guided a Wildcat women's cross country program that won the Big 12 Championship in 1998 and the 1998, 1999 and 2000 Midwest Region Championships. In 1999, he guided the Wildcats to their highest finish at the NCAA Championships, placing fifth with 232 points. The women's team also finished as the Big 12 runner-up in 1999 and 2000. In all, he coached eight cross country All-Americans, 23 All-Region performers, four All-Region champions and 14 All-Big 12 honorees.

Cole was selected three times as the Women's Cross Country Region Coach of the Year, while he was the 1998 Big 12 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

On the track, Cole helped the K-State women's team win the 2001 and 2002 Big 12 Championships. He also coached 12 indoor and three outdoor All-Americans and seven indoor and five outdoor Big 12 champions His athletes also set seven school records.

All told, this will Cole's third stint at K-State after spending three seasons (1981-84) as graduate assistant with the Wildcat men's and women's track and field and cross country programs.

"First of all, I want to thank Coach Rovelto for taking me in and, of course, the athletic department and administration for providing me this opportunity to come back home," said Cole. "I have always respected the great tradition of the track and field and cross country program. It is great to comeback and contribute to that. It is my goal to help all of the student-athletes and future student-athletes have an incredible experience here. It is great to come back to where it all started with graduate school."

Since leaving K-State in 2004, Cole has spent time as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Wyoming (2004-12) and Lindenwood College (2012-22), a Division II program located in St. Charles, Mo.

While at Lindenwood, Cole coached numerous student-athletes to athletic and academic honors including five All-GLVC cross country selections, 14 GLVC All-Conference track and field selections, one GLVC track and field conference champion, one GLVC Freshman of the Year, 11 MIAA All-Conference cross country selections, 20 MIAA All-Conference track and field selections, one MIAA track and field conference champion, eight NCAA track and field All-Americans, three NCAA All-Region cross country selections and 12 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team accolades for Cross Country.

During the 2020 cross country campaign, Cole helped Najwa Chouait and Louis Moreau to All-GLVC honors. The men's team placed first at the GLVC Dual Meet and the GLVC West Divisional, concluding the season with a fifth-place finish at the GLVC Cross Country Championships.

The 2018 season was one of Cole's best seasons while at Lindenwood. At the NCAA Central Regional Championships, the men's team finished in fifth, just shy of making the NCAA National Championship. Runner Ero Doce earned All-Region honors at the regional meet. During the track season, Cole helped the distance medley relay squad earn the runner-up spot at the GLVC Indoor Championship. Omar Es Salmouny had the best national finish in the track and field program history after finishing in second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Es Salmouny won the MIAA Championship in the steeplechase as well as All-Conference honors in the outdoor 5,000-meter.

Cole was named the 2017 MIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year after the Lions won the MIAA cross country team title. Lindenwood also named him the Athletic Department Coach of the year during the 2017-18 season.

The 2015 men's and women's cross country teams combined to win five competitions, and both squads finished eighth at the MIAA Championships. The highlight of the year was Lisa Feuerherdt finishing ninth at the conference championships and earning All-Conference honors.

In his second season at Lindenwood, Cole rebuilt the cross country program with the majority of the team being just freshmen and sophomores. The Lions placed eighth at the conference meet while the Lady Lions were ninth. On each side, Lindenwood had one athlete place in the top-30.

During the 2012 season, Cole helped Tanya Chibanda set the school record in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:37.18, later surpassed by Feuerherdt in 2016 (4:37.18).

Prior to his stint at Lindenwood, Cole was the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Wyoming from 2004-12.

While at Wyoming, Cole had five cross country national qualifiers and his athletes won two All-American honors, 17 Mountain West All-Conference selections and 10 NCAA All-Region accolades. He was named the 2004 Mountain West Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. In track &amp; field, he coached two All-Americans, 12 NCAA qualifiers, seven Mountain West champions and 33 All-Conference performers. Cole's athletes broke 10 school records at Wyoming.

Cole turned Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas into national power during his 12-year stint (1985-1997), guiding the Cougars to 19 team NJCAA national championships, including four in cross country, seven in indoor track and field and eight in outdoor track and field. He was the head cross country coach from 1985-91 before assuming reins of the track program from 1991-97.

A nine-time National Coach of the Year at Barton, Cole coached 96 individual national champions and his athletes were named All-Americans 45 times in cross country, 158 times in indoor track &amp; field, and 125 times in outdoor track &amp; field.

Cole got his start in coaching as the head cross country and track and field coach at Quartz Hill High School in Quartz Hill, Calif., from 1984-85 prior to joining the staff at Barton.

Cole earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1981, while he added a master's degree from K-State in counseling education in 1983.

Cole succeeds Ryun Godfrey, who announced his resignation on Monday (June 13) after nine seasons (2014-22) directing the Wildcat men's and women's cross country and distance programs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655459434511.png" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto announced on Wednesday (June 15) that Randy Cole has returned to Kansas State for a second stint as the Wildcats' assistant coach in charge of its men's and women's cross country teams.A nine-time national coach of the year and a 2002 NJCAA Track and Field Hall of Fame Inductee for his efforts in building Barton County Community College into a national powerhouse, Cole spent eight seasons (1997-2004) at K-State as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field under Rovelto."We are excited to welcome Coach Cole back to K-State," said Rovelto. "He has served two previous stints at K-State, the first as a graduate assistant with Coach Miller and the second as out cross country and distance coach a few years after I had first been appointed the head coach at Kansas State. Randy has a broad background having had extremely successful stints at Barton Count Community College, Wyoming and most recently Lindenwood. Coach had great success here at K-State and coached a number of our finest middle distance and distance runners in our school history. He is a very fine coach and an even better person. Our middle distance and distance athletes will have a coach who cares tremendously about their growth as an athlete as well as their education."During his first stint at K-State, Cole guided a Wildcat women's cross country program that won the Big 12 Championship in 1998 and the 1998, 1999 and 2000 Midwest Region Championships. In 1999, he guided the Wildcats to their highest finish at the NCAA Championships, placing fifth with 232 points. The women's team also finished as the Big 12 runner-up in 1999 and 2000. In all, he coached eight cross country All-Americans, 23 All-Region performers, four All-Region champions and 14 All-Big 12 honorees.Cole was selected three times as the Women's Cross Country Region Coach of the Year, while he was the 1998 Big 12 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.On the track, Cole helped the K-State women's team win the 2001 and 2002 Big 12 Championships. He also coached 12 indoor and three outdoor All-Americans and seven indoor and five outdoor Big 12 champions His athletes also set seven school records.All told, this will Cole's third stint at K-State after spending three seasons (1981-84) as graduate assistant with the Wildcat men's and women's track and field and cross country programs."First of all, I want to thank Coach Rovelto for taking me in and, of course, the athletic department and administration for providing me this opportunity to come back home," said Cole. "I have always respected the great tradition of the track and field and cross country program. It is great to comeback and contribute to that. It is my goal to help all of the student-athletes and future student-athletes have an incredible experience here. It is great to come back to where it all started with graduate school."Since leaving K-State in 2004, Cole has spent time as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Wyoming (2004-12) and Lindenwood College (2012-22), a Division II program located in St. Charles, Mo.While at Lindenwood, Cole coached numerous student-athletes to athletic and academic honors including five All-GLVC cross country selections, 14 GLVC All-Conference track and field selections, one GLVC track and field conference champion, one GLVC Freshman of the Year, 11 MIAA All-Conference cross country selections, 20 MIAA All-Conference track and field selections, one MIAA track and field conference champion, eight NCAA track and field All-Americans, three NCAA All-Region cross country selections and 12 USTFCCCA All-Academic Team accolades for Cross Country.During the 2020 cross country campaign, Cole helped Najwa Chouait and Louis Moreau to All-GLVC honors. The men's team placed first at the GLVC Dual Meet and the GLVC West Divisional, concluding the season with a fifth-place finish at the GLVC Cross Country Championships.The 2018 season was one of Cole's best seasons while at Lindenwood. At the NCAA Central Regional Championships, the men's team finished in fifth, just shy of making the NCAA National Championship. Runner Ero Doce earned All-Region honors at the regional meet. During the track season, Cole helped the distance medley relay squad earn the runner-up spot at the GLVC Indoor Championship. Omar Es Salmouny had the best national finish in the track and field program history after finishing in second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Es Salmouny won the MIAA Championship in the steeplechase as well as All-Conference honors in the outdoor 5,000-meter.Cole was named the 2017 MIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year after the Lions won the MIAA cross country team title. Lindenwood also named him the Athletic Department Coach of the year during the 2017-18 season.The 2015 men's and women's cross country teams combined to win five competitions, and both squads finished eighth at the MIAA Championships. The highlight of the year was Lisa Feuerherdt finishing ninth at the conference championships and earning All-Conference honors.In his second season at Lindenwood, Cole rebuilt the cross country program with the majority of the team being just freshmen and sophomores. The Lions placed eighth at the conference meet while the Lady Lions were ninth. On each side, Lindenwood had one athlete place in the top-30.During the 2012 season, Cole helped Tanya Chibanda set the school record in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:37.18, later surpassed by Feuerherdt in 2016 (4:37.18).Prior to his stint at Lindenwood, Cole was the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Wyoming from 2004-12.While at Wyoming, Cole had five cross country national qualifiers and his athletes won two All-American honors, 17 Mountain West All-Conference selections and 10 NCAA All-Region accolades. He was named the 2004 Mountain West Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. In track &amp; field, he coached two All-Americans, 12 NCAA qualifiers, seven Mountain West champions and 33 All-Conference performers. Cole's athletes broke 10 school records at Wyoming.Cole turned Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas into national power during his 12-year stint (1985-1997), guiding the Cougars to 19 team NJCAA national championships, including four in cross country, seven in indoor track and field and eight in outdoor track and field. He was the head cross country coach from 1985-91 before assuming reins of the track program from 1991-97.A nine-time National Coach of the Year at Barton, Cole coached 96 individual national champions and his athletes were named All-Americans 45 times in cross country, 158 times in indoor track &amp; field, and 125 times in outdoor track &amp; field.Cole got his start in coaching as the head cross country and track and field coach at Quartz Hill High School in Quartz Hill, Calif., from 1984-85 prior to joining the staff at Barton.Cole earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1981, while he added a master's degree from K-State in counseling education in 1983.Cole succeeds Ryun Godfrey, who announced his resignation on Monday (June 13) after nine seasons (2014-22) directing the Wildcat men's and women's cross country and distance programs.

Former Barton Cross Country coach takes over at K-State

Kansas City Royals (21-41, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Oakland Athletics (22-43, fifth in the AL West)

Oakland, California; Friday, 9:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Daniel Lynch (2-6, 5.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 50 strikeouts); Athletics: Frankie Montas (3-6, 3.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 80 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Oakland Athletics begin a three-game series at home against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.

Oakland is 22-43 overall and 7-24 at home. The Athletics are 15-3 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.

Kansas City is 21-41 overall and 9-20 in road games. The Royals have the 10th-ranked team on-base percentage in the AL at .300.

Friday’s game is the first time these teams match up this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Elvis Andrus has 16 doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI while hitting .219 for the Athletics. Christian Bethancourt is 12-for-34 with four doubles and three home runs over the past 10 games.

Salvador Perez leads Kansas City with nine home runs while slugging .408. Michael A. Taylor is 11-for-28 with two home runs and five RBI over the past 10 games.

Athletics: 2-8, .217 batting average, 5.64 ERA, outscored by 31 runs

Royals: 4-6, .247 batting average, 5.11 ERA, outscored by 12 runs

Athletics: Daulton Jefferies: 60-Day IL (arm), Skye Bolt: 60-Day IL (oblique), Stephen Piscotty: 10-Day IL (calf), Deolis Guerra: 60-Day IL (elbow), Brent Honeywell Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Royals: Joel Payamps: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (flexor), Matt Peacock: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Gabe Speier: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Zack Greinke: 15-Day IL (flexor), Adalberto Mondesi: 60-Day IL (knee), Edward Olivares: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Cam Gallagher: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Kansas City Royals (21-41, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Oakland Athletics (22-43, fifth in the AL West)Oakland, California; Friday, 9:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Daniel Lynch (2-6, 5.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 50 strikeouts); Athletics: Frankie Montas (3-6, 3.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 80 strikeouts)BOTTOM LINE: The Oakland Athletics begin a three-game series at home against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.Oakland is 22-43 overall and 7-24 at home. The Athletics are 15-3 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.Kansas City is 21-41 overall and 9-20 in road games. The Royals have the 10th-ranked team on-base percentage in the AL at .300.Friday’s game is the first time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Elvis Andrus has 16 doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI while hitting .219 for the Athletics. Christian Bethancourt is 12-for-34 with four doubles and three home runs over the past 10 games.Salvador Perez leads Kansas City with nine home runs while slugging .408. Michael A. Taylor is 11-for-28 with two home runs and five RBI over the past 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES: Athletics: 2-8, .217 batting average, 5.64 ERA, outscored by 31 runsRoyals: 4-6, .247 batting average, 5.11 ERA, outscored by 12 runsINJURIES: Athletics: Daulton Jefferies: 60-Day IL (arm), Skye Bolt: 60-Day IL (oblique), Stephen Piscotty: 10-Day IL (calf), Deolis Guerra: 60-Day IL (elbow), Brent Honeywell Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow)Royals: Joel Payamps: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (flexor), Matt Peacock: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Gabe Speier: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Zack Greinke: 15-Day IL (flexor), Adalberto Mondesi: 60-Day IL (knee), Edward Olivares: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Cam Gallagher: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Athletics begin 3-game series against the Royals

BOSTON (AP) — The
Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again, topping the
Boston Celtics 103-90 for their fourth title in the last eight
seasons. Stephen Curry scored 34 points for the Warriors, who claimed
the franchise’s seventh championship overall. And this one
completed a journey like none other, after a run of five consecutive
finals, then a plummet to the bottom of the NBA, and now a return to
greatness just two seasons after having the league’s worst record.

BROOKLINE, Mass.
(AP) — Adam Hadwin of Canada is the leader after one round of the
U.S. Open. Hadwin ran off three straight birdies at the end of the
front nine and only dropped one shot on the back nine of The Country
Club for a 66. He leads by one shot over five players, including Rory
McIlroy. Of the players who were in the first Saudi-backed event last
week, Dustin Johnson had the best score at 68.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs long ago moved on from wide receiver
Tyreek Hill, whom they shipped to the Miami Dolphins in the offseason
for a package of draft picks that have helped them get younger and
deeper across the board. But they were dragged back into discussing
him at the conclusion of their mandatory minicamp after Hill debuted
his new podcast, where he appeared to take subtle shots at coach Andy
Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Both took the high road
Thursday, though Mahomes acknowledged he was surprised at some of the
criticism that Hill leveled at the organization.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) —
The NCAA’s Division I transformation committee will recommend
changes to transfer rules and the infractions process before the end
of June. The committee wants to establish designated time periods
when college athletes can declare their intent to transfer and be
eligible immediately at a new school. The transfer windows would set
set on a sport-by-sport basis. The intent behind the change is to
provide structure and clarity for athletes and coaches. Updates to
the infractions process would be made in the hopes of making
investigations more timely and holding rule-breakers accountable.

UNDATED (AP) —
Kansas will visit Kentucky and Baylor is set to host Arkansas in the
SEC/Big 12 Challenge next season. The leagues announced the 10
matchups set for next January 28, a Saturday. All 10 Big 12 members
and all but four of the Southeastern Conference teams will
participate. The other games include: Alabama at Oklahoma, Auburn at
West Virginia, Florida at Kansas State, Texas Tech at LSU,
Mississippi at Oklahoma State, TCU at Mississippi State, Iowa State
at Missouri, and Texas at Tennessee. The SEC has held the edge in
five of the last six years.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez went to salary arbitration with the
Royals, asking for $2.9 million instead of the team’s $2.55 million
offer. Melinda Gordon, Scott Buccheit and John Woods heard the
arguments and are expected to issue a decision on Friday. Lopez had
career bests of a .300 average and 22 stolen bases in 23 chances last
season, when he had two homers and 43 RBIs. He made $597,500 and was
eligible for arbitration for the first time.

UNDATED (AP) —
Arizona's Bennedict Mathurin, Duke's A.J. Griffin, Wisconsin's Johnny
Davis and Kentucky's Shaedon Sharpe are among the top wing players in
this year's NBA draft. Davis was a first-team Associated Press
All-American, while Mathurin was a second-team pick. Griffin proved
to be a capable 3-point shooter in his lone season for the Blue
Devils. Sharpe never played for the Wildcats after being a midyear
enrollee. Other names to watch include international prospect Ousmane
Dieng, Ohio State's Malaki Branham, Kansas' Ochai Agbaji and LSU's
Tari Eason. There's also the duo of Jaden Hardy and MarJon Beauchamp
from the G League Ignite developmental program for elite prospects
who bypass college.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) —
If the College World Series is like the first two rounds of the NCAA
baseball tournament, fans in the outfield seats at Charles Schwab
Field in Omaha, Nebraska, are going to take home lots of souvenir
balls. The 424 home runs hit in regionals and super regionals are a
tournament record, and at least 14 games remain to be played in the
CWS. The eight-team event opens Friday with No. 5 national seed Texas
A&amp;M playing Oklahoma and No. 9 Texas meeting Notre Dame. Saturday
openers match No. 2 Stanford against Arkansas and Mississippi against
No. 14 Auburn.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) —
Bracket 1 in the College World Series could just as easily be called
the Rivals Bracket. Texas is grouped with its two biggest adversaries
in Oklahoma and Texas A&amp;M and will play one or the other
depending on the outcome of its game against Notre Dame on Friday. A
subplot is that Texas and Oklahoma will join the Aggies in the
Southeastern Conference in the not-too-distant future. Stanford had
to win five elimination games in the tournament to reach Omaha for
the second straight year. Brock Jones says said that experience could
serve the Cardinal well.

UNDATED (AP) —
Cheers and sighs met FIFA’s announcement of the host cities for the
2026 World Cup. The winners included sites like Los Angeles, Mexico
City and Toronto. But the big announcement was a disappointment for
cities that were on the bubble. The crowd at a watch party in
Washington D.C., was sullen when the last of the cities was
announced. It was just the third time that a nation’s capital has
not been included as a host city. A similar scene played out in
Denver. That was in contrast to the cheers in Kansas City.

NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652175399098.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — The
Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again, topping the
Boston Celtics 103-90 for their fourth title in the last eight
seasons. Stephen Curry scored 34 points for the Warriors, who claimed
the franchise’s seventh championship overall. And this one
completed a journey like none other, after a run of five consecutive
finals, then a plummet to the bottom of the NBA, and now a return to
greatness just two seasons after having the league’s worst record.BROOKLINE, Mass.
(AP) — Adam Hadwin of Canada is the leader after one round of the
U.S. Open. Hadwin ran off three straight birdies at the end of the
front nine and only dropped one shot on the back nine of The Country
Club for a 66. He leads by one shot over five players, including Rory
McIlroy. Of the players who were in the first Saudi-backed event last
week, Dustin Johnson had the best score at 68.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs long ago moved on from wide receiver
Tyreek Hill, whom they shipped to the Miami Dolphins in the offseason
for a package of draft picks that have helped them get younger and
deeper across the board. But they were dragged back into discussing
him at the conclusion of their mandatory minicamp after Hill debuted
his new podcast, where he appeared to take subtle shots at coach Andy
Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Both took the high road
Thursday, though Mahomes acknowledged he was surprised at some of the
criticism that Hill leveled at the organization.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) —
The NCAA’s Division I transformation committee will recommend
changes to transfer rules and the infractions process before the end
of June. The committee wants to establish designated time periods
when college athletes can declare their intent to transfer and be
eligible immediately at a new school. The transfer windows would set
set on a sport-by-sport basis. The intent behind the change is to
provide structure and clarity for athletes and coaches. Updates to
the infractions process would be made in the hopes of making
investigations more timely and holding rule-breakers accountable.UNDATED (AP) —
Kansas will visit Kentucky and Baylor is set to host Arkansas in the
SEC/Big 12 Challenge next season. The leagues announced the 10
matchups set for next January 28, a Saturday. All 10 Big 12 members
and all but four of the Southeastern Conference teams will
participate. The other games include: Alabama at Oklahoma, Auburn at
West Virginia, Florida at Kansas State, Texas Tech at LSU,
Mississippi at Oklahoma State, TCU at Mississippi State, Iowa State
at Missouri, and Texas at Tennessee. The SEC has held the edge in
five of the last six years.NEW YORK (AP) —
Kansas City infielder Nicky Lopez went to salary arbitration with the
Royals, asking for $2.9 million instead of the team’s $2.55 million
offer. Melinda Gordon, Scott Buccheit and John Woods heard the
arguments and are expected to issue a decision on Friday. Lopez had
career bests of a .300 average and 22 stolen bases in 23 chances last
season, when he had two homers and 43 RBIs. He made $597,500 and was
eligible for arbitration for the first time.UNDATED (AP) —
Arizona's Bennedict Mathurin, Duke's A.J. Griffin, Wisconsin's Johnny
Davis and Kentucky's Shaedon Sharpe are among the top wing players in
this year's NBA draft. Davis was a first-team Associated Press
All-American, while Mathurin was a second-team pick. Griffin proved
to be a capable 3-point shooter in his lone season for the Blue
Devils. Sharpe never played for the Wildcats after being a midyear
enrollee. Other names to watch include international prospect Ousmane
Dieng, Ohio State's Malaki Branham, Kansas' Ochai Agbaji and LSU's
Tari Eason. There's also the duo of Jaden Hardy and MarJon Beauchamp
from the G League Ignite developmental program for elite prospects
who bypass college.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) —
If the College World Series is like the first two rounds of the NCAA
baseball tournament, fans in the outfield seats at Charles Schwab
Field in Omaha, Nebraska, are going to take home lots of souvenir
balls. The 424 home runs hit in regionals and super regionals are a
tournament record, and at least 14 games remain to be played in the
CWS. The eight-team event opens Friday with No. 5 national seed Texas
A&amp;M playing Oklahoma and No. 9 Texas meeting Notre Dame. Saturday
openers match No. 2 Stanford against Arkansas and Mississippi against
No. 14 Auburn.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) —
Bracket 1 in the College World Series could just as easily be called
the Rivals Bracket. Texas is grouped with its two biggest adversaries
in Oklahoma and Texas A&amp;M and will play one or the other
depending on the outcome of its game against Notre Dame on Friday. A
subplot is that Texas and Oklahoma will join the Aggies in the
Southeastern Conference in the not-too-distant future. Stanford had
to win five elimination games in the tournament to reach Omaha for
the second straight year. Brock Jones says said that experience could
serve the Cardinal well.UNDATED (AP) —
Cheers and sighs met FIFA’s announcement of the host cities for the
2026 World Cup. The winners included sites like Los Angeles, Mexico
City and Toronto. But the big announcement was a disappointment for
cities that were on the bubble. The crowd at a watch party in
Washington D.C., was sullen when the last of the cities was
announced. It was just the third time that a nation’s capital has
not been included as a host city. A similar scene played out in
Denver. That was in contrast to the cheers in Kansas City.THURSDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Cleveland	4	Colorado	2	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Oakland	4	Boston	3	Final	Baltimore	10	Toronto	2	Final	N.Y.
Yankees	2	Tampa Bay	1	Final	Texas	3	Detroit	1	Final	L.A.
Angels	4	Seattle	1	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	San
Diego	6	Chicago Cubs	4	Final	Philadelphia	10	Washington	1	Final	N.Y.
Mets	5	Milwaukee	4	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFSFinal	Golden
State	103	Boston	90

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Dan Fitzgerald, an elite recruiter, player developer, coach and ascending figure in college baseball, has been named the Kansas Baseball Head Coach, Director of Athletics Travis Goff announced today. Fitzgerald has signed a 6-year contract that will keep him in Lawrence through the 2028 season.

“Dan Fitzgerald is a man of exceptional integrity, proven leader, developer of men, tremendous baseball mind, elite recruiter and the perfect fit for Kansas Baseball,” Director of Athletics Travis Goff said. “When we set out to find the next leader of this program, we talked to current student-athletes, alumni, and baseball leaders across the nation to help inform our search.  In countless conversations, Dan Fitzgerald’s name and background – along with the attributes in which he leads with every day – were highlighted as the ideal fit for KU Baseball. Dan clearly articulated his vision for the future of Kansas Baseball and passionately demonstrated his desire to be at the University of Kansas. We could not be more excited about the outlook for our program with Coach Fitzgerald at the helm. We are ecstatic to welcome Dan, his wife, Kelly, and three three boys, Will, Max and Ben, to the Jayhawk family.”

“I would like to thank Travis Goff and the leadership team at KU for entrusting me with this amazing opportunity to be the head baseball coach at the University of Kansas,” Fitzgerald said. “In my conversations with Travis and the search committee, it became crystal clear that our visions aligned regarding the future of this program. There is a passion for KU that permeated from each individual I met with and that shared partnership will be vital to the program’s future success. I have been very diligent in waiting for the right opportunity to lead a program and this was the perfect destination for me and my family. I look forward to developing these student-athletes as baseball players as well as men, and putting a program together that all Jayhawks can be proud of.”

Fitzgerald arrives at Kansas following one year at LSU, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, helping lead the Tigers to a 40-win season and an NCAA Regional final appearance. His time in Baton Rouge was preceded by a successful nine-year tenure at Dallas Baptist as both an assistant coach, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.

At DBU, Fitzgerald had a major hand in bringing unprecedented success to the Patriots program. In his nine seasons with the program, Dallas Baptist played in seven NCAA Regionals, won three regular-season conference championships and won three conference tournaments.

Fitzgerald comes to Lawrence with a sterling reputation in player development and recruiting, along with deep Midwestern ties, having served as a head coach at Des Moines Area Community College for five seasons and spending five seasons as an assistant in the region.

During his nine seasons at Dallas Baptist (2012-21), Fitzgerald played a major role in the Patriots developing and recruiting some of the top talent in the country. He helped recruit and develop 30 Major League Baseball Draft picks, 11 of those being Top-10 picks, nine All-Americans, eight freshman All-Americans, 69 all-conference selections and two conference players of the year.

Dallas Baptist tallied 270 victories from 2015-21, which was the fifth-most by a Division I baseball program during that span. The Patriots, known best for their explosive offense, ranked in the top 25 nationally in home runs in each season during Fitzgerald’s time at Dallas Baptist. The team held a top 25 ranking in a total of 51 offensive categories across his nine seasons.

With the Patriots proving to be one of the top programs nationally, Fitzgerald was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach in June 2016. Dallas Baptist posted a 341-168 (.670) record during his tenure with six seasons of at least 40 wins. Fitzgerald helped land some of the top prep players nationally, by being able to recruit throughout the country, thanks to his trusted relationships and proven track record, which he now brings to Kansas.

Fitzgerald has earned respect among his peers. In a survey of 90 head coaches conducted by Baseball America in 2020, Fitzgerald was rated No. 7 on a list of assistant coaches from across the nation that will one day make the best head coach. Baseball America also rated Fitzgerald as the No. 7 assistant coach in the nation in 2018, while D1Baseball ranked him as the 17th-best recruiter in the country in 2016.

Prior to his time at LSU and Dallas Baptist, Fitzgerald was the head coach at Des Moines Area Community College (2008-12). In his five years at DMACC, Fitzgerald was awarded Coach of the Year honors by 13 different publications. His team’s won five consecutive conference championships and advanced to the Junior College World Series on four separate occasions.

Fitzgerald also had 36 players sign with Division I programs, nine student-athletes be named Junior College All-Americans, including the 2009 National Player of the Year.  His program finished with at least 40 wins in every season and compiled a 249-73 (.773) record over the five-year stretch.

Fitzgerald’s coaching career began in 2000 at Iowa as a volunteer assistant coach. He then interned with the Minnesota Twins scouting department (2002) before returning to coaching as an assistant at North Iowa Area Community College (2003-04), Flagler College (2005-06) and Des Moines Area Community College (2007-08).

In addition to coaching at schools, Fitzgerald has spent time as a head coach in top summer leagues around the country. That includes a stint in 2004 as the Field Manager for Athletes in Action in Alaska, the sport ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.

A native of Edina, Minnesota, Fitzgerald attended and played baseball at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before graduating with a degree in English from the University of Minnesota in 2000. Most recently, he earned a Masters of Education in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist in 2016. Fitzgerald and his wife, Kelly, have three sons – Will, Max and Ben.

kuathletics.comLAWRENCE, Kan. — Dan Fitzgerald, an elite recruiter, player developer, coach and ascending figure in college baseball, has been named the Kansas Baseball Head Coach, Director of Athletics Travis Goff announced today. Fitzgerald has signed a 6-year contract that will keep him in Lawrence through the 2028 season.“Dan Fitzgerald is a man of exceptional integrity, proven leader, developer of men, tremendous baseball mind, elite recruiter and the perfect fit for Kansas Baseball,” Director of Athletics Travis Goff said. “When we set out to find the next leader of this program, we talked to current student-athletes, alumni, and baseball leaders across the nation to help inform our search. In countless conversations, Dan Fitzgerald’s name and background – along with the attributes in which he leads with every day – were highlighted as the ideal fit for KU Baseball. Dan clearly articulated his vision for the future of Kansas Baseball and passionately demonstrated his desire to be at the University of Kansas. We could not be more excited about the outlook for our program with Coach Fitzgerald at the helm. We are ecstatic to welcome Dan, his wife, Kelly, and three three boys, Will, Max and Ben, to the Jayhawk family.”“I would like to thank Travis Goff and the leadership team at KU for entrusting me with this amazing opportunity to be the head baseball coach at the University of Kansas,” Fitzgerald said. “In my conversations with Travis and the search committee, it became crystal clear that our visions aligned regarding the future of this program. There is a passion for KU that permeated from each individual I met with and that shared partnership will be vital to the program’s future success. I have been very diligent in waiting for the right opportunity to lead a program and this was the perfect destination for me and my family. I look forward to developing these student-athletes as baseball players as well as men, and putting a program together that all Jayhawks can be proud of.”Fitzgerald arrives at Kansas following one year at LSU, where he served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, helping lead the Tigers to a 40-win season and an NCAA Regional final appearance. His time in Baton Rouge was preceded by a successful nine-year tenure at Dallas Baptist as both an assistant coach, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.At DBU, Fitzgerald had a major hand in bringing unprecedented success to the Patriots program. In his nine seasons with the program, Dallas Baptist played in seven NCAA Regionals, won three regular-season conference championships and won three conference tournaments.Fitzgerald comes to Lawrence with a sterling reputation in player development and recruiting, along with deep Midwestern ties, having served as a head coach at Des Moines Area Community College for five seasons and spending five seasons as an assistant in the region.During his nine seasons at Dallas Baptist (2012-21), Fitzgerald played a major role in the Patriots developing and recruiting some of the top talent in the country. He helped recruit and develop 30 Major League Baseball Draft picks, 11 of those being Top-10 picks, nine All-Americans, eight freshman All-Americans, 69 all-conference selections and two conference players of the year.Dallas Baptist tallied 270 victories from 2015-21, which was the fifth-most by a Division I baseball program during that span. The Patriots, known best for their explosive offense, ranked in the top 25 nationally in home runs in each season during Fitzgerald’s time at Dallas Baptist. The team held a top 25 ranking in a total of 51 offensive categories across his nine seasons.With the Patriots proving to be one of the top programs nationally, Fitzgerald was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach in June 2016. Dallas Baptist posted a 341-168 (.670) record during his tenure with six seasons of at least 40 wins. Fitzgerald helped land some of the top prep players nationally, by being able to recruit throughout the country, thanks to his trusted relationships and proven track record, which he now brings to Kansas.Fitzgerald has earned respect among his peers. In a survey of 90 head coaches conducted by Baseball America in 2020, Fitzgerald was rated No. 7 on a list of assistant coaches from across the nation that will one day make the best head coach. Baseball America also rated Fitzgerald as the No. 7 assistant coach in the nation in 2018, while D1Baseball ranked him as the 17th-best recruiter in the country in 2016.Prior to his time at LSU and Dallas Baptist, Fitzgerald was the head coach at Des Moines Area Community College (2008-12). In his five years at DMACC, Fitzgerald was awarded Coach of the Year honors by 13 different publications. His team’s won five consecutive conference championships and advanced to the Junior College World Series on four separate occasions.Fitzgerald also had 36 players sign with Division I programs, nine student-athletes be named Junior College All-Americans, including the 2009 National Player of the Year. His program finished with at least 40 wins in every season and compiled a 249-73 (.773) record over the five-year stretch.Fitzgerald’s coaching career began in 2000 at Iowa as a volunteer assistant coach. He then interned with the Minnesota Twins scouting department (2002) before returning to coaching as an assistant at North Iowa Area Community College (2003-04), Flagler College (2005-06) and Des Moines Area Community College (2007-08).In addition to coaching at schools, Fitzgerald has spent time as a head coach in top summer leagues around the country. That includes a stint in 2004 as the Field Manager for Athletes in Action in Alaska, the sport ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.A native of Edina, Minnesota, Fitzgerald attended and played baseball at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before graduating with a degree in English from the University of Minnesota in 2000. Most recently, he earned a Masters of Education in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist in 2016. Fitzgerald and his wife, Kelly, have three sons – Will, Max and Ben.

LSU assistant Dan Fitzgerald named head coach at Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) —On Thursday afternoon, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) selected Kansas City as a 2026 World Cup host city. 

Kansas City joins Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle as the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.

Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.

FIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.

The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.

New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&amp;T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.

Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium.

Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore’s M&amp;T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994.

Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands.

Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and ’86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA.

Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia’s B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta’s Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.

The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.

Specific sites for each round will be announced later.

In contrast to the 1992 site announcement during a news conference, the 2026 announcement was made during a televised show from Fox’s studio in Manhattan.

“Over the past five years, the greater Kansas City area has pulled together in remarkable ways to demonstrate to those around the globe that ‘We Want The World Cup.’ And that hard work has paid off,”&nbsp;said Sen. Jerry Moran.&nbsp;

“I look forward to welcoming soccer fans from around the world to the Soccer Capital of America when Kansas City hosts the 2026 World Cup. Thank you to the KC2026 leadership team, the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, and all the ambassadors and volunteers for your work to bring for the most-watched sporting event in the world to Kansas City.”

In 2017, at the start of the bid 2026 World Cup bid process, Sen. Moran offered his support for Kansas City to the Executive Director of the United Bid Committee.

“Today is a great day for Kansas City! Kansas is home to some of the most devoted, fanatic soccer fans in the world that are ready to cheer on Team USA – and what better place than America’s heartland? The Kansas City community, alongside Sporting KC and the KC Sports Commission have shown unwavering commitment to make this dream a reality, and I congratulate them for their hard work,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. “The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most prestigious single sport event in the world and there is no better place for it to be held than Kansas City.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655416220085.png" alt="Image courtesy FIFA live broadcast of host cities" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FIFA live broadcast of host cities</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —On Thursday afternoon, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) selected Kansas City as a 2026 World Cup host city. Kansas City joins Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle as the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, were left out.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ffifaworldcup%2Fvideos%2F816004116431454%2F&show_text=false&width=380&t=0" width="380" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Inglewood and Santa Clara, California, were the holdovers.FIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas City, you are a World Cup City!&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1537549342000701442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.New stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&amp;T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Masschusetts, replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent, Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium.Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome hosted games, was cut in 2018 and Baltimore’s M&amp;T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994.Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands.Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and ’86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA.Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia’s B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta’s Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.Specific sites for each round will be announced later.In contrast to the 1992 site announcement during a news conference, the 2026 announcement was made during a televised show from Fox’s studio in Manhattan.“Over the past five years, the greater Kansas City area has pulled together in remarkable ways to demonstrate to those around the globe that ‘We Want The World Cup.’ And that hard work has paid off,”&nbsp;said Sen. Jerry Moran.&nbsp;“I look forward to welcoming soccer fans from around the world to the Soccer Capital of America when Kansas City hosts the 2026 World Cup. Thank you to the KC2026 leadership team, the Kansas City Sports Commission, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, and all the ambassadors and volunteers for your work to bring for the most-watched sporting event in the world to Kansas City.”In 2017, at the start of the bid 2026 World Cup bid process, Sen. Moran offered his support for Kansas City to the Executive Director of the United Bid Committee.“Today is a great day for Kansas City! Kansas is home to some of the most devoted, fanatic soccer fans in the world that are ready to cheer on Team USA – and what better place than America’s heartland? The Kansas City community, alongside Sporting KC and the KC Sports Commission have shown unwavering commitment to make this dream a reality, and I congratulate them for their hard work,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. “The FIFA World Cup is the largest and most prestigious single sport event in the world and there is no better place for it to be held than Kansas City.”

Kansas City selected as a host city for 2026 FIFA World Cup

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang added significant experience to his backcourt on Wednesday (June 15) with the signing of transfer Desi Sills (Jonesboro, Ark./Jonesboro/Arkansas/Arkansas State) to a Financial Aid Agreement with the program for the 2022-23 season.

Sills is the sixth player to sign with the Wildcats since Tang was introduced as the program's head coach on March 21, including the fourth Division I transfer following Cam Carter (Mississippi State), Jerrell Colbert (LSU) and David N'Guessan (Virginia Tech). Overall, Sills is the seventh newcomer added to the team for the 2022-23 season.

A 6-foot-2, 200-pound combo guard, Sills arrives at K-State after playing the 2021-22 season at Arkansas State, where he saw action in 28 of 29 games played with 27 starts. He helped guide the Red Wolves to an 18-11 record this past season, the program's highest win total in five seasons. Prior to that, he saw action in 98 games with 47 starts in three seasons (2018-21) at Arkansas, including being a major contributor for a Razorback team that won 25 games and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2020-21.  

Overall, Sills has logged 126 games of experience at the Division I level, including 74 starts, while totaling more than 3,000 minutes played for 24.4 per game average.

"The staff and I couldn't be more excited to add a player like Desi to our team at K-State," said Tang. "Obviously, experience has been a high priority for us, and he has significant experience having played major roles at both Arkansas and Arkansas State. And just like the rest of the guys, Desi is a winner. He has been a part of 81 wins in college with a trip to the Elite Eight, so he knows what it takes to be successful. We can't wait to get him here to campus, so Wildcat Nation can get to know him for the quality man he is on and off the basketball court. We think he is a perfect complement to the other guys we already have in our program."

Sills will have one year of eligibility remaining after the NCAA granted Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 sport student-athletes an additional year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sills has scored more than 1,000 points in his college career, totaling 1,110 points (8.8 ppg.) in his 126 games played on 43.5 percent (382-of-878) shooting, including 32.8 percent (129-of-393) from 3-point range, while knocking down 68.9 percent (217-of-315) from the free throw line. He has 50 career double-digit scoring games, including 27 games of 15 or more points and 8 20-point games. In addition, he has collected 326 rebounds (2.6 rpg.), 227 assists (1.8 apg.) and 135 steals (1.1 spg.) in 3,081 minutes (24.4 mpg.) in his career.

This past season, Sills played in 28 of 29 possible games, including 27 starts, for Arkansas State, ranking first on the team in steals (51) while placing second in scoring (12.6 ppg.) and field goals made (127) and third in 3-point field goals made (26), rebounds (101/3.6 rpg.) and assists (79/2.8 apg.). For the season, he connected on 44.6 percent (127-of-285) from the field, including 25.5 percent (26-of-102) from 3-point range, while hitting on 72.7 percent (72-of-99) from the free throw line.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655399668472.png" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang added significant experience to his backcourt on Wednesday (June 15) with the signing of transfer Desi Sills (Jonesboro, Ark./Jonesboro/Arkansas/Arkansas State) to a Financial Aid Agreement with the program for the 2022-23 season.Sills is the sixth player to sign with the Wildcats since Tang was introduced as the program's head coach on March 21, including the fourth Division I transfer following Cam Carter (Mississippi State), Jerrell Colbert (LSU) and David N'Guessan (Virginia Tech). Overall, Sills is the seventh newcomer added to the team for the 2022-23 season.A 6-foot-2, 200-pound combo guard, Sills arrives at K-State after playing the 2021-22 season at Arkansas State, where he saw action in 28 of 29 games played with 27 starts. He helped guide the Red Wolves to an 18-11 record this past season, the program's highest win total in five seasons. Prior to that, he saw action in 98 games with 47 starts in three seasons (2018-21) at Arkansas, including being a major contributor for a Razorback team that won 25 games and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2020-21. Overall, Sills has logged 126 games of experience at the Division I level, including 74 starts, while totaling more than 3,000 minutes played for 24.4 per game average."The staff and I couldn't be more excited to add a player like Desi to our team at K-State," said Tang. "Obviously, experience has been a high priority for us, and he has significant experience having played major roles at both Arkansas and Arkansas State. And just like the rest of the guys, Desi is a winner. He has been a part of 81 wins in college with a trip to the Elite Eight, so he knows what it takes to be successful. We can't wait to get him here to campus, so Wildcat Nation can get to know him for the quality man he is on and off the basketball court. We think he is a perfect complement to the other guys we already have in our program."Sills will have one year of eligibility remaining after the NCAA granted Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 sport student-athletes an additional year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Sills has scored more than 1,000 points in his college career, totaling 1,110 points (8.8 ppg.) in his 126 games played on 43.5 percent (382-of-878) shooting, including 32.8 percent (129-of-393) from 3-point range, while knocking down 68.9 percent (217-of-315) from the free throw line. He has 50 career double-digit scoring games, including 27 games of 15 or more points and 8 20-point games. In addition, he has collected 326 rebounds (2.6 rpg.), 227 assists (1.8 apg.) and 135 steals (1.1 spg.) in 3,081 minutes (24.4 mpg.) in his career.This past season, Sills played in 28 of 29 possible games, including 27 starts, for Arkansas State, ranking first on the team in steals (51) while placing second in scoring (12.6 ppg.) and field goals made (127) and third in 3-point field goals made (26), rebounds (101/3.6 rpg.) and assists (79/2.8 apg.). For the season, he connected on 44.6 percent (127-of-285) from the field, including 25.5 percent (26-of-102) from 3-point range, while hitting on 72.7 percent (72-of-99) from the free throw line.

Tang Signs Transfer Desi Sills

The future leaders of our country? We believe those individuals can be found among the millions of high school students involved in athletics and other activity programs such as speech, debate, music and theatre.

In addition to about eight million participants in high school sports, it is estimated that an equal number of students are involved in speech, debate, music, theatre and many other afterschool programs offered through our nation’s high schools.

In surveys conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) through the years, participation in these programs in many cases leads to success in college and a career, and becoming leaders in other endeavors.

Only about three percent of the participants in high school sports will earn a college scholarship for their athletic potential, and an even smaller number will play sports professionally, while the majority – 97 percent or more – will use the valuable lessons learned through these programs to lead productive and successful lives in their chosen professions.

Teamwork, problem-solving, handling competitive situations, building self-discipline and self-confidence, overcoming obstacles and losses – all of these things that are learned beyond the classroom in athletic and other activity programs are vital ingredients to becoming a successful leader.

In its role as the national leader and advocate for high school athletics and performing arts programs, the NFHS is providing opportunities this summer for student participants to acquire additional leadership skills beyond those learned on the field, court, classroom or stage.

As a part of its Vision Statement which is to “prepare tomorrow’s leaders for the next level of life through innovative programs, healthy participation, achievement and development of positive relationships,” the NFHS is sponsoring two national leadership conferences this summer – one held virtually as well as one in-person in Indianapolis.

 For the third consecutive year, the NFHS is hosting – in a virtual format – the nation’s only National Student Leadership Summit (NSLS) for high school student-athletes and participants in performing arts programs. After hosting more than 22,000 students over three days two years ago, and another highly successful online event last year, the NFHS will continue with its virtual format this year July 12-14. The Summit was changed to a Tuesday-Thursday format this year in an effort to make it accessible to more students. The NSLS is free on the NFHS Network but requires registration through this link.

A survey in the spring of 2020 determined that the shutdown of high school activity programs during the pandemic affected the mental health of high school students. Although high school sports and performing arts have resumed across the country, we know the effects of the pandemic continue.            

The virtual attendees will learn new leadership skills, build relationships and deal with current challenges – such as mental health issues – confronting participants today in high school sports and performing arts.

Returning to the Summit to help students address these important issues is Ivy Watts, a dedicated advocate for mental wellness who strives to reduce stigmas surrounding mental illness and who has empowered thousands of students, parents and administrators across the country. She has developed Athletes’ Minds Matter, an all-in-one mental health platform for student-athletes to help with success on and off the field.

Additionally, we are pleased that our in-person National Student Leadership Summit will return to Indianapolis July 18-20 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. More than 150 students and adult leaders from NFHS member state associations will hear from some of the same leaders slated to speak at the virtual conference.

Many of the issues facing high school students today will be addressed at these conferences – emotional and social wellness, conflict resolution, perspective and inclusion, reacting to situations and making good decisions, and developing and maintaining healthy relationships.

The virtual National Student Leadership Summit will enhance students’ ability to build relationships with one another, as summit attendees will once again have the opportunity to interact on the BAND group communication app. During the previous conferences, the BAND app served as a conduit to the formation of several subgroups on other social media platforms.

With the conference held during the week this year, we would encourage coaches to bring team members together to participate in the Summit collectively.

Students involved in athletics and other activities such as speech, debate, music and theatre are the leaders in schools nationwide, and this one-of-a-kind National Student Leadership Summit will provide these individuals with energy and confidence for the year ahead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643235301160.jpeg" alt="Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her fourth year as chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her fourth year as chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana.</figcaption>
 </figure>The future leaders of our country? We believe those individuals can be found among the millions of high school students involved in athletics and other activity programs such as speech, debate, music and theatre.In addition to about eight million participants in high school sports, it is estimated that an equal number of students are involved in speech, debate, music, theatre and many other afterschool programs offered through our nation’s high schools.In surveys conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) through the years, participation in these programs in many cases leads to success in college and a career, and becoming leaders in other endeavors.Only about three percent of the participants in high school sports will earn a college scholarship for their athletic potential, and an even smaller number will play sports professionally, while the majority – 97 percent or more – will use the valuable lessons learned through these programs to lead productive and successful lives in their chosen professions.Teamwork, problem-solving, handling competitive situations, building self-discipline and self-confidence, overcoming obstacles and losses – all of these things that are learned beyond the classroom in athletic and other activity programs are vital ingredients to becoming a successful leader.In its role as the national leader and advocate for high school athletics and performing arts programs, the NFHS is providing opportunities this summer for student participants to acquire additional leadership skills beyond those learned on the field, court, classroom or stage.As a part of its Vision Statement which is to “prepare tomorrow’s leaders for the next level of life through innovative programs, healthy participation, achievement and development of positive relationships,” the NFHS is sponsoring two national leadership conferences this summer – one held virtually as well as one in-person in Indianapolis. For the third consecutive year, the NFHS is hosting – in a virtual format – the nation’s only National Student Leadership Summit (NSLS) for high school student-athletes and participants in performing arts programs. After hosting more than 22,000 students over three days two years ago, and another highly successful online event last year, the NFHS will continue with its virtual format this year July 12-14. The Summit was changed to a Tuesday-Thursday format this year in an effort to make it accessible to more students. The NSLS is free on the NFHS Network but requires registration through this link.A survey in the spring of 2020 determined that the shutdown of high school activity programs during the pandemic affected the mental health of high school students. Although high school sports and performing arts have resumed across the country, we know the effects of the pandemic continue. The virtual attendees will learn new leadership skills, build relationships and deal with current challenges – such as mental health issues – confronting participants today in high school sports and performing arts.Returning to the Summit to help students address these important issues is Ivy Watts, a dedicated advocate for mental wellness who strives to reduce stigmas surrounding mental illness and who has empowered thousands of students, parents and administrators across the country. She has developed Athletes’ Minds Matter, an all-in-one mental health platform for student-athletes to help with success on and off the field.Additionally, we are pleased that our in-person National Student Leadership Summit will return to Indianapolis July 18-20 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. More than 150 students and adult leaders from NFHS member state associations will hear from some of the same leaders slated to speak at the virtual conference.Many of the issues facing high school students today will be addressed at these conferences – emotional and social wellness, conflict resolution, perspective and inclusion, reacting to situations and making good decisions, and developing and maintaining healthy relationships.The virtual National Student Leadership Summit will enhance students’ ability to build relationships with one another, as summit attendees will once again have the opportunity to interact on the BAND group communication app. During the previous conferences, the BAND app served as a conduit to the formation of several subgroups on other social media platforms.With the conference held during the week this year, we would encourage coaches to bring team members together to participate in the Summit collectively.Students involved in athletics and other activities such as speech, debate, music and theatre are the leaders in schools nationwide, and this one-of-a-kind National Student Leadership Summit will provide these individuals with energy and confidence for the year ahead.

Communication Skills, Mental Health/Wellness Issues Addressed at National Student Leadership Summit

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The prevailing narrative was that the Kansas City Chiefs signed Justin Reid away from the Houston Texans in free agency when they decided to move on from three-time All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu.

It was a one-for-one substitution, nice and tidy.

The reality is that Mathieu’s replacement might have already been on the team in the form of Juan Thornhill, who has been an in-and-out of the lineup starter his first three seasons in the league. With the departure of Mathieu and Dan Sorensen in free agency, Thornhill is the only safety on the roster with much experience in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

Thornhill also has a more versatile skillset than Reid, who is the quintessential hard-hitting safety, with a unique ability to not drop into coverage but also blitz the quarterback and step into the box against the run.

“I love it, being the oldest guy in the room with a bunch of rookies,” the 26-year-old Thornhill said after a sweltering practice during Kansas City’s three-day mandatory minicamp. “I need to lead the way, take on that role.”

He had a great role model himself in Mathieu, who arrived in Kansas City around the same time Thornhill was drafted.

For the past three years, Thornhill has had the best seat possible to watch Mathieu not only ply his trade on the field, but exhibit the kind of off-the-field leadership that made him invaluable. Mathieu was the ringleader of the defense, the one who got players into the proper position on defense and gathered them at his house for barbecues on days off.

Mathieu, who has experience with two torn ACLs, also helped Thornhill deal with a devastating knee injury that ended his rookie season, and for a while sidetracked what had been a promising start to his career.

“I was really quiet when he was here because I knew that he was the type of guy to be the leader, and I’d just follow in his footsteps,” Thornhill said. “Now it’s my time to take on that role and get everyone lined up.”

That includes Bryan Cook, a second-round pick out of Cincinnati who could become a crucial piece of the defense.

“It’s definitely a role I want to take on,” Thornhill said. “I want the guys to have fun. Sometimes playing this game, it can feel like there’s a lot of pressure on you, but we don’t want that pressure. We just want to go out there and have a lot of fun and enjoy the game. That’s when you make a lot of plays, when you’re comfortable and bonding on the field.”

Make no mistake: This is a big year for Thornhill.

He started all 16 games as a rookie fresh out of Virginia, making 58 tackles with three interceptions and a touchdown. But the injury lingered into Year 2, when he started just eight of 16 games and watched his playing time dwindle, and Thornhill was left fighting for his place in the base defense headed into last season.

He wound up starting 12 of 17 games with a career-high 64 tackles, setting him up well for a crucial contract year.

The Steelers reportedly set the market for safeties earlier Wednesday when they agreed with Minkah Fitzpatrick on a $73.6 million multiyear deal that includes $36 million guaranteed. That follows big contracts that have been handed out to Seattle’s Jamal Adams, Baltimore’s Marcus Williams and Justin Simmons of AFC West rival Denver.

“I got high expectations. It’s as simple as that,” Thornhill said. “I’m planning on playing my best football, by far — at the top of my game. I’m expecting an All-Pro season. I’m saying that right now.”

In other news, the Chiefs said defensive end Frank Clark was excused from practice for the second straight day while rookie cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Joshua Williams did not work out after leaving with trainers on Tuesday.

Others that did not practice included left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who has yet to sign his franchise tender and is not required to report; running back Jerick McKinnon, who was signed just this week; backup offensive lineman Prince Tega Wanogho; defensive end Malik Herring; and right tackle Lucas Niang, who is still rehabbing a knee injury.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid is expected to discuss the minicamp after the final practice Thursday, then the Chiefs will take the rest of the summer off before reporting in late July to their training camp at Missouri Western State University.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The prevailing narrative was that the Kansas City Chiefs signed Justin Reid away from the Houston Texans in free agency when they decided to move on from three-time All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu.It was a one-for-one substitution, nice and tidy.The reality is that Mathieu’s replacement might have already been on the team in the form of Juan Thornhill, who has been an in-and-out of the lineup starter his first three seasons in the league. With the departure of Mathieu and Dan Sorensen in free agency, Thornhill is the only safety on the roster with much experience in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.Thornhill also has a more versatile skillset than Reid, who is the quintessential hard-hitting safety, with a unique ability to not drop into coverage but also blitz the quarterback and step into the box against the run.“I love it, being the oldest guy in the room with a bunch of rookies,” the 26-year-old Thornhill said after a sweltering practice during Kansas City’s three-day mandatory minicamp. “I need to lead the way, take on that role.”He had a great role model himself in Mathieu, who arrived in Kansas City around the same time Thornhill was drafted.For the past three years, Thornhill has had the best seat possible to watch Mathieu not only ply his trade on the field, but exhibit the kind of off-the-field leadership that made him invaluable. Mathieu was the ringleader of the defense, the one who got players into the proper position on defense and gathered them at his house for barbecues on days off.Mathieu, who has experience with two torn ACLs, also helped Thornhill deal with a devastating knee injury that ended his rookie season, and for a while sidetracked what had been a promising start to his career.“I was really quiet when he was here because I knew that he was the type of guy to be the leader, and I’d just follow in his footsteps,” Thornhill said. “Now it’s my time to take on that role and get everyone lined up.”That includes Bryan Cook, a second-round pick out of Cincinnati who could become a crucial piece of the defense.“It’s definitely a role I want to take on,” Thornhill said. “I want the guys to have fun. Sometimes playing this game, it can feel like there’s a lot of pressure on you, but we don’t want that pressure. We just want to go out there and have a lot of fun and enjoy the game. That’s when you make a lot of plays, when you’re comfortable and bonding on the field.”Make no mistake: This is a big year for Thornhill.He started all 16 games as a rookie fresh out of Virginia, making 58 tackles with three interceptions and a touchdown. But the injury lingered into Year 2, when he started just eight of 16 games and watched his playing time dwindle, and Thornhill was left fighting for his place in the base defense headed into last season.He wound up starting 12 of 17 games with a career-high 64 tackles, setting him up well for a crucial contract year.The Steelers reportedly set the market for safeties earlier Wednesday when they agreed with Minkah Fitzpatrick on a $73.6 million multiyear deal that includes $36 million guaranteed. That follows big contracts that have been handed out to Seattle’s Jamal Adams, Baltimore’s Marcus Williams and Justin Simmons of AFC West rival Denver.“I got high expectations. It’s as simple as that,” Thornhill said. “I’m planning on playing my best football, by far — at the top of my game. I’m expecting an All-Pro season. I’m saying that right now.”In other news, the Chiefs said defensive end Frank Clark was excused from practice for the second straight day while rookie cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Joshua Williams did not work out after leaving with trainers on Tuesday.Others that did not practice included left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who has yet to sign his franchise tender and is not required to report; running back Jerick McKinnon, who was signed just this week; backup offensive lineman Prince Tega Wanogho; defensive end Malik Herring; and right tackle Lucas Niang, who is still rehabbing a knee injury.Chiefs coach Andy Reid is expected to discuss the minicamp after the final practice Thursday, then the Chiefs will take the rest of the summer off before reporting in late July to their training camp at Missouri Western State University.

Chiefs’ Thornhill seeks to fill Honey Badger’s void

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State has hired Murray State athletic director Kevin Saal as its athletic director.

Wichita State President Rick Muma announced Wednesday that Saal, a 44-year-old Kansas native, will take over the job in mid-July.

Saal replaces Darron Boatright, who was fired in May in part over the university’s lack of preparation to compete in the new market of name, image and likeness payments to athletes.

Saal led Murray State through two conference realignments, and the school will join the Missouri Valley Conference in 2023. The school’s basketball team won 31 games last season, captured the regular-season and postseason Ohio Valley Conference championships and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Before going to Murray State, Saal spent 12 years at Kentucky, where he held various roles before becoming executive associate director of athletics.

He was event coordinator and had administrative responsibilities for golf and rowing at Kansas State from 2000 to 2005, and director of operations at Missouri-Kansas City from 2005 to 2007.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State has hired Murray State athletic director Kevin Saal as its athletic director.Wichita State President Rick Muma announced Wednesday that Saal, a 44-year-old Kansas native, will take over the job in mid-July.Saal replaces Darron Boatright, who was fired in May in part over the university’s lack of preparation to compete in the new market of name, image and likeness payments to athletes.Saal led Murray State through two conference realignments, and the school will join the Missouri Valley Conference in 2023. The school’s basketball team won 31 games last season, captured the regular-season and postseason Ohio Valley Conference championships and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.Before going to Murray State, Saal spent 12 years at Kentucky, where he held various roles before becoming executive associate director of athletics.He was event coordinator and had administrative responsibilities for golf and rowing at Kansas State from 2000 to 2005, and director of operations at Missouri-Kansas City from 2005 to 2007.

Wichita State hires Murray State athletic director Saal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Whit Merrifield broke a 2-2 tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly and the Kansas City Royals edged the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Andrew Benintendi led off the inning with a pinch-hit double off Giants reliever John Brebbia. Nicky Lopez moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt and Merrifield brought him home.

“That’s kind of how you’d want to draw up an inning like that,” Benintendi said. “Nicky laid down a great bunt and Whit got the job done with the sac fly.”

Added Royals manager Mike Matheny: “It’s just textbook baseball. It was beautiful to watch.”

Brandon Belt homered for the Giants, whose five-game winning streak ended.

Kansas City jumped ahead in the first inning when San Francisco shortstop Brandon Crawford, a four-time Gold Glove winner, made a rare fielding error on a slow chopper by MJ Melendez, allowing two runs to score.

“(Crawford) is such an excellent defender most of the time,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “I think that ball just kind of jumped up on him a little bit. It’s part of the game. It happens. It’s human error.”

Belt answered with a solo home run to right-center in the fourth, his fifth of the season and first since April 20. Curt Casali tied the game at 2 with a sacrifice fly later in the fourth.

Jose Cuas (1-0) entered with one out in the seventh and retired three batters to earn his first career victory. The 27-year-old converted infielder had toiled in the minors for six years before making his big-league debut earlier this season.

“It’s amazing,” Cuas said. “It’s more than I’ve ever dreamed of. I can’t really tell you I’ve dreamed of this moment because I didn’t get this far in my dream. But it’s amazing. I’m soaking every second of it I can and every day for me is just a dream come true.”

Scott Barlow recorded the last five outs for his seventh save in eight opportunities as Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak.

Brebbia (3-1) suffered his first loss since July 18, 2021 as the Giants finished their longest homestand of the season at 6-3.

San Francisco went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.

Neither starting pitcher reached the fifth inning. Royals RHP Jonathan Heasley allowed two runs on five hits in four innings, striking out four and walking two. Giants LHP Sam Long surrendered two unearned runs on three hits in three innings with two strikeouts.

Crawford played in his 1,500th game, all with the Giants. The Bay Area native became the fifth player in the San Francisco era to play at least 1,500 games with the Giants, joining Willie McCovey, Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Jim Davenport.

“It’s a pretty short list and those are great players,” Crawford said. “So definitely really cool to be on that list with them.”

Royals: RHP Zack Greinke (right flexor strain) is nearing a return from the injured list after an impressive rehab start Sunday at Triple-A Omaha. Greinke threw 49 pitches in five scoreless innings. He might need one more rehab appearance to stretch out his pitch count.

Giants: OF LaMonte Wade Jr. (left knee inflammation) threw on the field before the game. Kapler is optimistic he can begin a rehab assignment this weekend. ... Casali returned to the lineup after missing three games with a hamstring injury.

Royals: Open a three-game series at Oakland on Friday. The Royals will play six of their next nine games against the Athletics.

Giants: Travel to Pittsburgh to begin a seven-game trip on Friday.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Whit Merrifield broke a 2-2 tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly and the Kansas City Royals edged the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep.Andrew Benintendi led off the inning with a pinch-hit double off Giants reliever John Brebbia. Nicky Lopez moved him to third on a sacrifice bunt and Merrifield brought him home.“That’s kind of how you’d want to draw up an inning like that,” Benintendi said. “Nicky laid down a great bunt and Whit got the job done with the sac fly.”Added Royals manager Mike Matheny: “It’s just textbook baseball. It was beautiful to watch.”Brandon Belt homered for the Giants, whose five-game winning streak ended.Kansas City jumped ahead in the first inning when San Francisco shortstop Brandon Crawford, a four-time Gold Glove winner, made a rare fielding error on a slow chopper by MJ Melendez, allowing two runs to score.“(Crawford) is such an excellent defender most of the time,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “I think that ball just kind of jumped up on him a little bit. It’s part of the game. It happens. It’s human error.”Belt answered with a solo home run to right-center in the fourth, his fifth of the season and first since April 20. Curt Casali tied the game at 2 with a sacrifice fly later in the fourth.Jose Cuas (1-0) entered with one out in the seventh and retired three batters to earn his first career victory. The 27-year-old converted infielder had toiled in the minors for six years before making his big-league debut earlier this season.“It’s amazing,” Cuas said. “It’s more than I’ve ever dreamed of. I can’t really tell you I’ve dreamed of this moment because I didn’t get this far in my dream. But it’s amazing. I’m soaking every second of it I can and every day for me is just a dream come true.”Scott Barlow recorded the last five outs for his seventh save in eight opportunities as Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak.Brebbia (3-1) suffered his first loss since July 18, 2021 as the Giants finished their longest homestand of the season at 6-3.San Francisco went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.SHORT STARTSNeither starting pitcher reached the fifth inning. Royals RHP Jonathan Heasley allowed two runs on five hits in four innings, striking out four and walking two. Giants LHP Sam Long surrendered two unearned runs on three hits in three innings with two strikeouts.MILESTONE MANCrawford played in his 1,500th game, all with the Giants. The Bay Area native became the fifth player in the San Francisco era to play at least 1,500 games with the Giants, joining Willie McCovey, Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Jim Davenport.“It’s a pretty short list and those are great players,” Crawford said. “So definitely really cool to be on that list with them.”Crawford finished 1 for 4 with a single.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: RHP Zack Greinke (right flexor strain) is nearing a return from the injured list after an impressive rehab start Sunday at Triple-A Omaha. Greinke threw 49 pitches in five scoreless innings. He might need one more rehab appearance to stretch out his pitch count.Giants: OF LaMonte Wade Jr. (left knee inflammation) threw on the field before the game. Kapler is optimistic he can begin a rehab assignment this weekend. ... Casali returned to the lineup after missing three games with a hamstring injury.UP NEXTRoyals: Open a three-game series at Oakland on Friday. The Royals will play six of their next nine games against the Athletics.Giants: Travel to Pittsburgh to begin a seven-game trip on Friday.

Royals end Giants’ 5-game winning streak, 3-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Bryan Reynolds hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning
and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a nine-game skid, beating the St.
Louis Cardinals 6-4. Reynolds hit his 11th homer of the season after
Tucupita Marcano singled with two outs off reliever Andre Pallante.
Wil Crowe threw two scoreless innings in relief for the win, and
David Bednar picked up his 11th save by pitching the final 2 2/3
innings. Jack Flaherty made his first appearance of the season for
the Cardinals, who lost for the second time in their past nine home
games. The 26-year-old right-hander worked the first three innings,
allowing four runs, three earned.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Whit Merrifield broke a 2-2 tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly
and the Kansas City Royals edged the San Francisco Giants 3-2 to
avoid a three-game sweep. Andrew Benintendi led off the inning with a
pinch-hit double off Giants reliever John Brebbia. Nicky Lopez moved
him to third on a sacrifice bunt and Merrifield brought him home.
Brandon Belt homered for the Giants, whose five-game winning streak
ended. Royals reliever Jose Cuas retired three batters to earn his
first career victory. Scott Barlow recorded the last five outs for
his seventh save in eight opportunities. Kansas City snapped a
four-game losing streak.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The popular narrative was that the Kansas City Chiefs signed
Justin Reid in free agency to replace Tyrann Mathieu. But in reality,
Mathieu’s replacement might have already been on the team in the
form of Juan Thornhill, who has been an in-and-out of the lineup
starter his first three seasons in the league. With the departure of
Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen in free agency, Thornhill is the only
safety on the roster with much experience in coordinator Steve
Spagnuolo’s defense. And that could make him the linchpin for the
secondary by the time the season rolls around.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) —
Wichita State has hired Murray State athletic director Kevin Saal as
its athletic director. Wichita State President Rick Muma announced
Wednesday that Saal, a 44-year-old Kansas native, will take over the
job in mid-July. Saal replaces Darron Boatright, who was fired in May
in part over the university’s lack of preparation to compete in the
new market of name, image and likeness payments to athletes. Before
going to Murray State, Saal spent 12 years at Kentucky, where he held
various roles before becoming executive associate director of
athletics. He was event coordinator and had administrative
responsibilities for golf and rowing at Kansas State from 2000 to
2005, and director of operations at Missouri-Kansas City from 2005 to
2007.

DENVER (AP) —
Andre Burakovsky scored 1:23 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche
opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the two-time
defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. Burakovsky
ended it after the Avalanche failed to score on a power play that
began late in regulation when three-time champ Patrick Maroon put the
puck over the glass. The game likely wouldn’t have even reached OT
if not for big penalty kills by the Avalanche, who were 3 for 3
against Tampa Bay’s potent power play.

UNDATED (AP) — The
next game in the NBA Finals is Thursday night in Boston. Even without
a single game decided by single digits through the first five
contests, this series is on the brink of going down as a classic.
It’s Golden State 3, Boston 2 going into Game 6 on the Celtics’
home floor. The Warriors grabbed the lead in the series with a 104-94
win on Monday in San Francisco.

NEW YORK (AP) —
FIFA plans to announce the 2026 World Cup sites, trimming the U.S.
list from 17 to 10-12. Three sites are planned in Mexico and two are
likely in Canada. In the first 48-nation World Cup, soccer's
governing body planned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the
quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada. Just two of the
contending stadiums hosted games in 1994, Pasadena's Rose Bowl joined
by Orlando's Camping World Stadium. Dozens of training complexes have
been built for MLS teams, creating a far better infrastructure

IRVING, Texas (AP) —
The American Athletic Conference’s six new members will enter the
league next summer. Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice,
UAB and UTSA will officially join the American on July 1, 2023. Each
of those Conference USA schools had their applications for membership
into the American approved last October. The American will compete as
a 14-team league in football, and in men’s and women’s
basketball, after the transition next summer. That will come at the
same time current members Cincinnati, Houston and UCF depart to
become members of the Big 12 Conference, which is also adding BYU.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650620046232.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Bryan Reynolds hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning
and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a nine-game skid, beating the St.
Louis Cardinals 6-4. Reynolds hit his 11th homer of the season after
Tucupita Marcano singled with two outs off reliever Andre Pallante.
Wil Crowe threw two scoreless innings in relief for the win, and
David Bednar picked up his 11th save by pitching the final 2 2/3
innings. Jack Flaherty made his first appearance of the season for
the Cardinals, who lost for the second time in their past nine home
games. The 26-year-old right-hander worked the first three innings,
allowing four runs, three earned.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Whit Merrifield broke a 2-2 tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly
and the Kansas City Royals edged the San Francisco Giants 3-2 to
avoid a three-game sweep. Andrew Benintendi led off the inning with a
pinch-hit double off Giants reliever John Brebbia. Nicky Lopez moved
him to third on a sacrifice bunt and Merrifield brought him home.
Brandon Belt homered for the Giants, whose five-game winning streak
ended. Royals reliever Jose Cuas retired three batters to earn his
first career victory. Scott Barlow recorded the last five outs for
his seventh save in eight opportunities. Kansas City snapped a
four-game losing streak.KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — The popular narrative was that the Kansas City Chiefs signed
Justin Reid in free agency to replace Tyrann Mathieu. But in reality,
Mathieu’s replacement might have already been on the team in the
form of Juan Thornhill, who has been an in-and-out of the lineup
starter his first three seasons in the league. With the departure of
Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen in free agency, Thornhill is the only
safety on the roster with much experience in coordinator Steve
Spagnuolo’s defense. And that could make him the linchpin for the
secondary by the time the season rolls around.WICHITA, Kan. (AP) —
Wichita State has hired Murray State athletic director Kevin Saal as
its athletic director. Wichita State President Rick Muma announced
Wednesday that Saal, a 44-year-old Kansas native, will take over the
job in mid-July. Saal replaces Darron Boatright, who was fired in May
in part over the university’s lack of preparation to compete in the
new market of name, image and likeness payments to athletes. Before
going to Murray State, Saal spent 12 years at Kentucky, where he held
various roles before becoming executive associate director of
athletics. He was event coordinator and had administrative
responsibilities for golf and rowing at Kansas State from 2000 to
2005, and director of operations at Missouri-Kansas City from 2005 to
2007.DENVER (AP) —
Andre Burakovsky scored 1:23 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche
opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the two-time
defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. Burakovsky
ended it after the Avalanche failed to score on a power play that
began late in regulation when three-time champ Patrick Maroon put the
puck over the glass. The game likely wouldn’t have even reached OT
if not for big penalty kills by the Avalanche, who were 3 for 3
against Tampa Bay’s potent power play.UNDATED (AP) — The
next game in the NBA Finals is Thursday night in Boston. Even without
a single game decided by single digits through the first five
contests, this series is on the brink of going down as a classic.
It’s Golden State 3, Boston 2 going into Game 6 on the Celtics’
home floor. The Warriors grabbed the lead in the series with a 104-94
win on Monday in San Francisco.NEW YORK (AP) —
FIFA plans to announce the 2026 World Cup sites, trimming the U.S.
list from 17 to 10-12. Three sites are planned in Mexico and two are
likely in Canada. In the first 48-nation World Cup, soccer's
governing body planned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the
quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada. Just two of the
contending stadiums hosted games in 1994, Pasadena's Rose Bowl joined
by Orlando's Camping World Stadium. Dozens of training complexes have
been built for MLS teams, creating a far better infrastructureIRVING, Texas (AP) —
The American Athletic Conference’s six new members will enter the
league next summer. Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice,
UAB and UTSA will officially join the American on July 1, 2023. Each
of those Conference USA schools had their applications for membership
into the American approved last October. The American will compete as
a 14-team league in football, and in men’s and women’s
basketball, after the transition next summer. That will come at the
same time current members Cincinnati, Houston and UCF depart to
become members of the Big 12 Conference, which is also adding BYU.WEDNESDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Kansas
City	3	San Francisco	2	Final	Cleveland	7	Colorado	5	Final	L.A.
Dodgers	4	L.A. Angels	1	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Chicago White
Sox	13	Detroit	0	Final	Houston	9	Texas	2	Final	Minnesota	5	Seattle	0	Final	Toronto	7	Baltimore	6	Final	N.Y.
Yankees	4	Tampa Bay	3	Final	Boston	10	Oakland	1	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Philadelphia	3	Miami	1	Final	Arizona	7	Cincinnati	4	Final	Milwaukee	10	N.Y.
Mets	2	Final	Atlanta	8	Washington	2	Final	Pittsburgh	6	St.
Louis	4	Final	San
Diego	19	Chicago Cubs	5	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUE PLAYOFFSFinal
OT	Colorado	4	Tampa Bay	3

Thursday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Gustavo Campos of the Barton men's tennis team earned All-America honors announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

The distinction stems from Campos' 8th placing in the final ITA NJCAA singles rankings as the association awards the final top ten performers with double teams awarded within a top five placing.

The freshman from Basilia, Brazil, helped the Cougars to its highest finish under Head Coach Lyle Stickney in a 4th place conclusion of the season at the 2022 NJCAA Division I Tennis Championships held in Tyler, Texas.

Playing in the No. 1 slot for the Cougars all year, Campos was 4-4 during the regular season owning a pair of wins over four-year competition with losses coming to four-year competitors, as well as, a pair to the No. 1 and No. 3 ranked junior college players.

Ranked 29th and seeded 6th at the National Tournament, Campos won his first match before being bounced in the quarterfinals by the 3rd seed.

For Head Coach Lyle Stickney, Campos' designation is his first men's All-America singles award winner to join last season's doubles tandem earners from Samrakshyak Bajracharya and Eduardo Morais.

Also making history in the Coach Stickney regime, all six singles players and two of the three doubles teams finished in the final poll.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655313614950.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Gustavo Campos of the Barton men's tennis team earned All-America honors announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).The distinction stems from Campos' 8th placing in the final ITA NJCAA singles rankings as the association awards the final top ten performers with double teams awarded within a top five placing.The freshman from Basilia, Brazil, helped the Cougars to its highest finish under Head Coach Lyle Stickney in a 4th place conclusion of the season at the 2022 NJCAA Division I Tennis Championships held in Tyler, Texas.Playing in the No. 1 slot for the Cougars all year, Campos was 4-4 during the regular season owning a pair of wins over four-year competition with losses coming to four-year competitors, as well as, a pair to the No. 1 and No. 3 ranked junior college players.Ranked 29th and seeded 6th at the National Tournament, Campos won his first match before being bounced in the quarterfinals by the 3rd seed.For Head Coach Lyle Stickney, Campos' designation is his first men's All-America singles award winner to join last season's doubles tandem earners from Samrakshyak Bajracharya and Eduardo Morais.Also making history in the Coach Stickney regime, all six singles players and two of the three doubles teams finished in the final poll.Singles:#8 Gustavo Campos#13 James Kaoma#23 Eduardo Morais#28 Barnabas Kalaba#42 Samyak Bajracharya#48 Tsholofelo TsiangDoubles:#8 Gustavo Campos / Eduardo Morais#10 James Kaoma / Barnabas Kalaba

Barton's Campos earns ITA Tennis All-America Award

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett admits he worried at first when he saw Russell Wilson jetting off seemingly every weekend to one locale after another.

There's the team's new quarterback on the red carpet in Times Square for the launch party of the SI Swimsuit issue with his singer/model wife Ciara on the cover. There they are at the White House's annual Easter Egg hunt. Or taking in the Cannes Film Festival one day on their French holiday and the Monaco Grand Prix on another.

Last weekend, Wilson gave the commencement speech at Dartmouth College and after the team's mandatory minicamp concludes this week, he'll root on the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena.

“It's funny. I think when it first started, you’re like, ‘Whoa! Are you gonna be able to pick all this stuff up? Are we gonna be able to own the offense like we want to?’” Hackett said Monday after the team's first day of mandatory minicamp. “But he does such a great job at surrounding himself with great people that help him out so that he can do all these things and still focus only on football.”

Now, Hackett actually marvels at Wilson's ability to globetrot while not missing a beat when it comes to the offense the Broncos are installing.

"I mean, he’s nonstop working," Hackett said. "If he’s on a plane, he’s watching film, he’s studying, he’s calling people, he's calling me.

“And that’s what you appreciate. So you know what, everybody’s professional. Everybody does things different. Some people are here and they might not work even as hard as he does when he’s leaving."

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett admits he worried at first when he saw Russell Wilson jetting off seemingly every weekend to one locale after another.There's the team's new quarterback on the red carpet in Times Square for the launch party of the SI Swimsuit issue with his singer/model wife Ciara on the cover. There they are at the White House's annual Easter Egg hunt. Or taking in the Cannes Film Festival one day on their French holiday and the Monaco Grand Prix on another.Last weekend, Wilson gave the commencement speech at Dartmouth College and after the team's mandatory minicamp concludes this week, he'll root on the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena.“It's funny. I think when it first started, you’re like, ‘Whoa! Are you gonna be able to pick all this stuff up? Are we gonna be able to own the offense like we want to?’” Hackett said Monday after the team's first day of mandatory minicamp. “But he does such a great job at surrounding himself with great people that help him out so that he can do all these things and still focus only on football.”Now, Hackett actually marvels at Wilson's ability to globetrot while not missing a beat when it comes to the offense the Broncos are installing."I mean, he’s nonstop working," Hackett said. "If he’s on a plane, he’s watching film, he’s studying, he’s calling people, he's calling me.“And that’s what you appreciate. So you know what, everybody’s professional. Everybody does things different. Some people are here and they might not work even as hard as he does when he’s leaving."Wilson said football doesn't suffer as a result of his busy schedule because “football is the No. 1 priority.”“You do everything you can to spend extra time to get in early, leave late and do all that stuff. One of the things I believe in is that you pour your whole self into it and no matter where my feet are I’m going to put my whole everything I have into it,” Wilson said. “So when I’m here — even when I’m away from here — the coaches and I, we’re constantly talking. Players, we’re constantly talking."Besides, Wilson said he's never been one to take it easy.“I’ve always been busy, you know? Everybody’s always shocked how busy I am. I'm like, 'You think this is busy? I took 18 credits every semester in college, I played two sports, played football and baseball,” Wilson said.Back on campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, or Madison, Wisconsin, now those were some bustling times, Wilson insisted.“I went to football lifts in the morning, went to class, then went to baseball, played to 11 o’clock at night. Then I did my homework,” Wilson recounted. "That was busy. That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. So be able to do fortunate things, you know, to be able to speak at Dartmouth, obviously to support Ciara, my wife, and then also to do things with other guys, anything else, hang out when we can, it means a lot.“So, you know, one thing that I’ve always believed in is it’s a lifestyle,” Wilson said. “You know, you have to make your whole entire being and your thought process about winning, about being successful. And with that comes great, great opportunities. But also comes great challenges and how do you manage those challenges? How do you think about it?”WALMART SHOPPERSWilson said he spent time with the new Walton-Penner ownership group and he had praise for minority shareholder Mellody Hobson, chairwoman of Starbucks, who has agreed to join the group that won the bidding for the team at $4.65 billion.Hobson, who is Black, is married to “Star Wars” creator George Lucas.Hackett is a renowned Star Wars aficionado.“Very excited about Starbucks and Star Wars,” Hackett said. “And Walmart.”TYRIE CLEVELAND INJUREDThe practice ended a couple of snaps early when third-year WR Tyrie Cleveland suffered what appeared to be a serious injury to his right knee while attempting to catch a touchdown pass.Cleveland's right cleat got stuck in the grass on the play and the team's medical team checked out his right knee and shin before placing him on a cart and taking him inside. As he sat on the cart, teammates patted him on the back.