MLB All-Star Game voting is complete, and starters have been announced for this year’s game in Atlanta. 

The two reigning MVP Award winners, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, were named captains of the National and American Leagues, respectively, after winning the fan vote. 

But while these two and some others were expected choices by the fans, there are other well-deserved players entering the mix this year. 

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In the American League, the Detroit Tigers, who own the best record in MLB at 54-32 entering Wednesday, have three representatives in the starting lineup. Second baseman Gleyber Torres, a former teammate of Judge’s on the New York Yankees, has had a resurgence in his first year in the Motor City. 

Riley Greene joins Judge in the outfield with Javier Báez, who has been one of the best stories in MLB this season given his struggles since he joined the Tigers in 2022. He made his third career All-Star team, but he is considered an outfielder this time instead of a shortstop. 

DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI BLASTS HOMER IN WIN, ACHIEVES STATISTICAL FEAT UNSEEN SINCE WILLIE MAYS

Then, there’s Seattle Mariners slugging catcher Cal Raleigh getting the start behind the plate for the American League. He has 33 homers in 84 games, and his WAR of 5.6 is second only to Judge’s for the year. 

Not only is this his first All-Star selection as a starter, but Raleigh is the first Mariners catcher to be selected to start. 

Jacob Wilson’s meteoric rise for the Athletics earned him the starting shortstop job on July 15 at Triust Park in Atlanta. He has a .339 batting average entering Wednesday, second to Judge in the American League. The Orioles’ Ryan O’Hearn also earned his first-ever All-Star bid.

The remaining starters for the American League are the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (first base) and the Cleveland Guardians’ Jose Ramirez (third base). 

For the National League, Chicago Cubs phenom center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong will get his first All-Star nod after he stole 25 bases and hit 21 homers before the break. 

And while it’s not his first All-Star appearance, it’s been a long time for New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. He hasn’t played in the game since his time in Cleveland in 2019. 

The Dodgers also have multiple starters behind Ohtani, with Freddie Freeman playing first base and Will Smith catching. 

The remaining National League starters are the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte (2B), the San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado (3B), the Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. (OF) and the Cubs’ Kyle Tucker (OF).

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After the University of Pennsylvania agreed to erase all program records set by former transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, questions arose about how the NCAA will address Thomas' NCAA title. 

Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA championships with a time of 4:33.24. 

Thomas also finished in the top 10 in a number of other events, denying higher finishes to female competitors. While UPenn has wiped those records from its books, Thomas' finishes still stand nationally. 

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Former University of Kentucky swimmer and OutKick host Riley Gaines, who tied for fifth place against Thomas in that year's 200-yard freestyle, is leading a lawsuit against the NCAA for its policies that allowed Thomas to compete. One of the demands in Gaines' lawsuit is that the NCAA rescind all of Thomas' championship finishes. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the NCAA inquiring if and when it plans to make any changes to Thomas' 2022 championship finishes but has not received a response.

Gaines sent a message to the NCAA about this issue during an interview on "Dont @ Me With Dan Dakich" Wednesday.

OREGON GIRLS OPEN UP ON ‘TRAUMATIC’ TRANS ATHLETE EXPERIENCES THAT PUSHED THEM TO FIGHT BACK

"While the Ivy League, the University of Pennsylvania will have to rescind his records from their account and their record boards, the NCAA, as I understand it, does not have to. So, we will see what the NCAA does," Gaines said. 

Gaines doesn't expect the NCAA will amend those records willingly. 

"These ‘leaders,’ if you will, have remained spineless and weak-kneed and morally bankrupt and just total cowards over the last three years," Gaines said. 

At an April 18 press conference, while discussing Maine's defiance on the issue, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted President Donald Trump's order and Title IX as federal law, noting that violators could be "prosecuted." 

Gaines previously told Fox News Digital she would support prosecution as a response to the issue. 

"I would love to see prosecution because I believe what is happening is criminal," Gaines said. "The way that we have been told that a man's feelings matter more than our physical safety, than our rights to participate, to call ourselves champions, I believe that is a criminal action. Therefore, I believe it is a criminal offense.

"Someone somewhere has to be made an example of, otherwise you will have the woman-hating Democratic Party continue with full steam ahead. … I believe university officials should be charged." 

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Maxwell Hairston's NFL dreams became a reality in April when the Buffalo Bills selected him out of Kentucky in the first round of the draft. 

But as Hairston prepares for his first NFL training camp, the Bills rookie defensive back faces serious legal concerns. Hairston is named in a lawsuit that accuses the 21-year-old of sexual misconduct when he was a student-athlete in 2021.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Kentucky, according to The Associated Press.

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ESPN reported the accuser is an Ohio woman who also attended the University of Kentucky and lived in the same dorm as Hairston in 2021.

Fox News Digital was not immediately able to reach Hairston's representatives for comment.

BYU QUARTERBACK JAKE RETZLAFF SEES SEXUAL ASSAULT LAWSUIT DISMISSED IN COURT: REPORTS

In the lawsuit, the woman alleges Hairston entered her dorm room without being invited. The woman then expressed "her non-interest in engaging in sexual intercourse with him several times," according to the lawsuit. Hairston then allegedly "forcibly removed" her clothing and sexually assaulted her.

The Bills had no comment and referred to statements made by general manager Brandon Beane in April during the draft.

Beane said at the time the team had "fully investigated" a sexual assault allegation from 2021 involving Hairston, who he called "an impeccable kid."

"So, that’s unfortunate when things like that are attached to someone’s name. And, in this case, doesn't seem to be anything there," Beane said.

Hairston spent three seasons playing at Kentucky. He'll have a chance to win a starting job at cornerback this season.

The Bills have been off since completing their mandatory practices in mid-June and return later this month for the start of training camp.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Earlier this year, Max Homa said he had a "come-to-Jesus" moment when he decided to delete X, formerly Twitter.

The PGA star was once active on the app, but he said in March the platform is now "for the sick."

"I was sick. I’m just trying to get healthy now," Homa said at the time.

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Ahead of the John Deere Classic, Homa stood firm on his personal boycott of the "awful, awful place."

"The reason for that is just the vitriol you read online. It has become a safe haven for people who are, I think, angry at themselves. It is quite absurd how comfortable people feel writing awful things," Homa told reporters Wednesday.

"Twitter or X or whatever is an awful, awful place. It took me a while to catch onto how impactful that can be and how much of a waste of energy. I miss the connection with the fans, but nothing comes without so much hate and anger. There's a lot of love in there, too, but, unfortunately, it gets overwhelmed with one really bad one."

Homa hinted that the rise in gambling, which he said "seems fun as hell in golf," may be contributing to the online vitriol.

GOLF INFLUENCER TISHA ALYN CARVES HER OWN PATH IN THE SPORT

"People say some bad, bad things on the internet. You get people telling you you should die on the internet. It has nothing to do with not connecting. I’d love to keep connecting with people, but I try to do it in person a bit more because I have yet to meet somebody in person who has said anything even remotely mean.

"It’s a safe haven for a--holes, for lack of a better term."

Homa has struggled of late. He's missed seven cuts in 16 tournaments this year with just one top 25 finish, which came at the Masters. That was his first made cut since last year's Open Championship, but, since then, he has finished 70th, tied for 30th, tied for 60th, tied for 51st and tied for 54th with another pair of missed cuts. 

Last year, he was ranked 10th in the world. Last month, he was carrying his own bag for 36 holes of U.S. Open qualifying. He missed out on the tournament after a heartbreaking three-putt on his final hole, where two putts would have put him into the Oakmont tournament.

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SWIFT ACTION – As part of a resolution agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights stemming from a probe into the inclusion of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania will restore titles and records to those female athletes that were "misappropriated by male athletes allowed to compete in female categories."  Continue reading…

'NO REGRETS' – OutKick host Riley Gaines and ex-ESPN host Keith Olbermann clashed after the University of Pennsylvania revoked Lia Thomas' program records following a resolution agreement with the Education Department. Continue reading…

CHIMING IN – U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon weighed in on the resolution agreement that was reached between the department she currently leads and UPenn following an investigation into Title IX violations. Continue reading…

BANNED – An Arizona Diamondbacks season-ticket holder was barred from attending future games at Chase Field after the MLB club cited "multiple offenses" the fan committed during games, including interfering with a fly ball during a recent contest against the San Francisco Giants. Continue reading…

‘SICK' – Caitlin Clark had a strong reaction to her team, the Indiana Fever, winning the Commissioner's Cup. The Cup is the WNBA's in-season tournament. Continue reading…

HALFTIME HEARTBREAK – Red Panda, the beloved performer known for her incredible unicycle routine during halftime shows, was forced to exit Tuesday's WNBA Commissioner's Cup final in a wheelchair after falling onto the court. Continue reading…

SHOCKING UPSET – American tennis pro Jessica Pegula suffered a stunning and early exit from Wimbledon in the first round. The 116th-ranked Italian, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, defeated Pegula in less than an hour. Continue reading…

WATCH NOW – The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a disappointing NBA playoff run. The 2025-26 season will mark Luka Doncic's first full season with the Lakers. FOX Sports' Jason McIntyre weighs in on Doncic taking charge of the franchise. Watch here …

FROM FOX SPORTS – The Bucks decided to waive star guard Damian Lillard. He is still owed $113 million and those payments are expected to be stretched over the next five years, per reports. Meanwhile, Myles Turner agreed to a four-year contract to join Milwaukee, according to The Associated Press. Continue reading…

FROM OUTKICK – MLB star pitcher Paul Skenes was spotted with the Pittsburgh Pirates grounds crew at PNC Park well before first pitch of Tuesday's matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals. Continue reading…

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After winning his first Stanley Cup in 2024, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, admittedly, lacked some motivation to get back on the ice.

"That was my biggest dream in this game of hockey. So, of course, I got that feeling," the 2013 second-overall pick said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "When I thought, ‘OK, it's time to start training again,’ it was really, really hard. Like, it's just really hard to get up and go somewhere for a run or for a lift or something like that."

But then, he thought about the "big picture" and remembered that lifting the Stanley Cup is "the best feeling in hockey."

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Now, the Panthers have a chance to do something not accomplished since the early 1980s – win three consecutive Stanley Cups, and Barkov already "is thinking about next year."

"To get that celebration again, to enjoy the season again with the team, go through the ups and downs and write another story and achieve that. So that kind of got me going. And we achieved it again. It wasn't easy at all. Mentally, it was really hard all year, but we did our best, we tried our best, and it was enough this year. But now, I have a better feeling about it. I can’t wait to get going again."

Perhaps his Celsius partnership fueled him in the middle of the season. The energy drink's 200 milligrams of caffeine helped Barkov get through those grueling days during the hockey year. For him, it's also a partnership that hits close to him – the headquarters are in nearby Boca Raton (the Panthers play in Sunrise), and he said Celsius is becoming a hit in his home country of Finland.

"That’s how I'm trying to live as an athlete. I'm trying to eat the right way. I'm trying to sleep the right way, recover, practice, train, whatever I do, I'm thinking about becoming a better athlete for the next day, for the next game," he said. "So I think Celsius fits that really well, because they have everything I need in one drink. It tastes really good as well, so I don't have to force it into myself. It keeps me awake when I need it the most, all the vitamins that I need throughout the day are there. So it's just a total package in one drink."

BRUINS EYEING SHOCKING REUNION WITH FRANCHISE LEGEND AFTER STANLEY CUP SUCCESS: REPORT

Some extra motivation? Maybe the fact that he needs to come up with new ideas on how to celebrate with the Stanley Cup (he said 48 consecutive hours of celebration was his max).

"We get to spend one day individually with the Cup, so that will be a challenge. I did everything I needed to do last year. I showed it to literally everyone I needed to show. So this year, probably taking a little easier and maybe spend more time just me and the Cup," Barkov joked.

One idea, obviously, is to "pour a Celsius into it and just sip on it." He did also bring it to his neighbors' houses in the wee hours of the morning.

But first, it will be another 82-game season, and then needing to win 16 more games in the postseason to lift the best trophy in sports again.

"For me, I feel better right now to continue working, to continue getting better," Barkov said. "Because, well, last year, first time winning, it feels like, ‘OK, now I've done everything I wanted, I dreamed about.’ Now, after doing it a second time, it's the best feeling in hockey. You go through the long season, tough season with your team, and you battle through everything, and then you get to lift the Cup. And for us to have a chance to do it three times in a row, that's already a big motivation, because not too many teams have done it in such a long history.

"Obviously, we just won, so we’ll celebrate this one a little bit, but already thinking about next year, how big of a chance we have to make even bigger history. And that's what already drives me forward."

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NHL players will be permitted to play in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games after a deal was reached Wednesday. 

The NHL, NHLPA, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee confirmed NHL players will be allowed, which was negotiated initially last year. 

This confirmation will now allow NHL players to participate for their countries in the Olympics for the first time since 2014. 

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"Olympic participation will showcase the skill and talent of NHL players on an international stage. We are proud to collaborate with the IIHF, NHLPA and IOC to bring the best hockey players in the world to the Olympics and make this happen in a way that benefits the game globally," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

Marty Walsh, the executive director of the NHLPA, added, "Best-on-best international tournaments like the Olympics provide the opportunity to create extraordinary moments for our players and fans alike. The return to the Olympics marks a monumental moment for hockey, and we thank our partners — the NHL, IOC and IIHF — for this collaborative process. 

"The skill and passion on display in Milano Cortina will build off the excitement of the 4 Nations Face-Off and continue our game's global growth."

IOC UPHOLDS BAN ON RUSSIAN TEAMS AHEAD OF 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS

Some may have had doubts about a deal going through because it took so long to put pen to paper. 

But this deal will also allow NHL player participation in the 2030 Games in the French Alps. 

The 2026 men’s hockey tournament will begin Feb. 11 and run through Feb. 22. 

Hockey fans got a taste of what’s to come in Milano Cortina during the 4 Nations Face-Off, which featured NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States. 

There was particular tension between Canada and the U.S., fueled in part by President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s rift off the ice. Fans booed during the countries' national anthems during games. On the ice, a brawl broke out in Montreal before the U.S. defeated Canada. 

However, when the 4 Nations Face-Off Final reached the TD Garden in Boston, it was Canada getting an overtime victory. 

There will be 12 participating countries in next year’s hockey tournament: Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, France, Czechia, Canada, United States, Latvia, Germany and Denmark. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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EXCLUSIVE: Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom's press office made a social media post mocking the latest announcement by the U.S. Department of Education that the state had violated Title IX by allowing trans athletes in women's sports. 

Newsom's press office X account mocked U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon with an old clip of her being body-slammed during a WWE skit. The clip was of current Knox County Mayor Glenn Thomas Jacobs, also known as "Kane," hitting McMahon with move known as the "tombstone piledriver" during an episode of "Monday Night Raw" in the early 2000s.

The post incited mass backlash by Californians and women's rights activists across the nation. Now McMahon has responded to the controversial social media post. 

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"I think what that said is that Gavin Newsom doesn’t really take this seriously at all. And I was surprised that that was the clip that he used," McMahon told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.  

"He was trying to be funny on a very serious matter. We have women who are training to compete in these sports who lose scholarship and sponsorship opportunities, who get injured, who are compelled to be in dressing rooms or their intimate spaces with men, and that is absolutely unfair."

McMahon pointed out that her office also used a clip of Newsom, but a more recent one of the governor saying on his podcast that he believes letting trans athletes compete in women's and girls sports is "deeply unfair." 

"Here's what was so funny: We also put online the actual footage of Gavin Newsom saying it was unfair on his own podcast. So I had sent him a letter. I said, basically, ‘Put your money where your mouth is, because you talk about how this is unfair, but you don’t do anything to change,’" McMahon said. 

WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN PROBE OF SJSU TRANS ATHLETE ALLEGEDLY CONSPIRING TO HARM TEAMMATE

McMahon said in an appearance on "Fox & Friends" last Wednesday that California would be at risk of losing its federal funding for its K-12 schools if the requirements are not met.

A press release by the U.S. Department of Education states that California's high school sports league, the CIF and the California Department of Education (CDE) have 10 days (from last Wednesday) to amend their policy or risk referral to the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Newsom's office responded to the Education Department's announcement later last Wednesday.

"It wouldn’t be a day ending in ‘Y’ without the Trump Administration threatening to defund California. Now Secretary McMahon is confusing government with her WrestleMania days — dramatic, fake, and completely divorced from reality. This won’t stick," Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon told Fox News Digital.

The Department of Education and other branches of President Donald Trump's administration are fighting the issue on multiple fronts, with an active lawsuit against the state of Maine for refusing to comply with Trump's mandate on the issue. The administration is also in a standoff with Minnesota over the issue.

McMahon, the DOE and the Trump administration as a whole took a big step forward in their campaign to combat trans athletes in women's and girls sports on Tuesday, announcing an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania. 

The agreement ensured UPenn apologizes to all women's swimmers who were affected by the inclusion of trans swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2021-22 season, all of Thomas' program accolades are rescinded, and the school will adopt biology-based definitions for the words "male" and "female."

McMahon hopes UPenn's agreement sends a message to states that are defying Trump. 

"Our sincere hope is that they absolutely recognize what they're going to have to do relative to comply with Title IX. It is the law," McMahon said. "There are federal funds that have been withheld and withdrawn, so there's penalties involved in this. But it's actually just the right thing to do. It's common sense to do, that men should not compete in women's sports." 

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A trans-identifying athlete won a women's cycling event that was officially sanctioned by USA Cycling on Tuesday, prompting female opponents to protest and speak out. 

The trans athlete, Kate Phillips, won first place at the Lyons Masters National Championships in Wisconsin on Tuesday. Phillips beat out veteran women's cyclist Julie Peterson for the gold, and Peterson then refused to take the podium at the medal ceremony in protest. 

"You could clearly see the power that he had," Peterson told Fox News Digital about Phillips. 

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Peterson said she wasn't even aware that Phillips had registered for the event until she had already registered herself and even argued with officials about the situation. 

"If I had known, I wouldn't have spent thousands of dollars in travel and time off work to come and do a race," Peterson said. 

"I said, 'I don't want to race against a man,' and they quickly scolded me and said ‘Oh, you can’t call him a man,' and I'm like ‘Well, he is a man,’ so I was quickly scolded and corrected that it is a woman and I don't even know what to say." 

Veteran women's cyclist Debbie Milne competed in the Tuesday event, finishing in seventh place. Milne also spoke out against USA Cycling for allowing Phillips to compete.

"To be fair to all humans, if we want to say him or her, he was born a biological male, that is a fact," Milne told Fox News Digital. "And that is the thing that makes it an unfair advantage. Whatever has happened after that is a whole different topic. 

"I've raced for 25 years in conditions that only women can understand. There's a lot that only a born female woman goes through because of the cycles that we have. Even that alone is something that a man-born biological male can never experience. There's nothing that can stimulate that, when you show up to the race and you are at the worst point of the monthly cycle and you know you're at a disadvantage." 

Milne also said she wasn't aware of the trans athlete's participation ahead of the race. 

FORMER STAR GYMNAST SLAMS USA GYMNASTICS FOR TRANS ATHLETE POLICY HANDLING

"I totally did not expect this, to drive 13 hours, to come and do a national championship," Milne said. "I had no idea, I'd like to have known that's what the terms were if I came. But that wasn't even made known to me." 

Fellow veteran women's cyclist Kristina Gray, who did not compete against Phillips on Tuesday, wanted to speak out in support of her female peers because she said she's also had to compete against trans athletes in cycling as an Oregon native. 

"I have in my last 10 years of racing, I've had to race against biological males, I've been forced to be on the podium with many of them, more recently the last five years," Gray said. "In Oregon, every almost weekend, there is a biological male in our races, every weekend, practically." 

The three women then reached out to the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) to spread awareness of the incident. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to USA Cycling and Phillips for comment. 

The USA Cycling transgender eligibility policy allows for biological males to compete in the women's category under certain conditions: 

Several other Team USA national governing bodies have come under scrutiny for their transgender eligibility policies over the last year. 

USA Gymnastics removed its transgender eligibility policy this year, and is currently assessing it. 

"In May, USAG removed its policy to assess compliance with the current legal landscape," read a USA Gymnastics statement provided to Fox News Digital. 

USA Fencing announced in April that it is preparing to change its gender-eligibility policy, after a viral protest by women's fencer Stephanie Turner sparked mass backlash and federal intervention by protesting a trans opponent. 

The organization said it is preparing to amend its current policies that allow biological males to compete with women and girls in the event that it is "forced" to change them. 

USA Track and Field (USATF) official transgender eligibility policy now references the World Athletics guidelines on its official webpage. USATF previously referenced the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s policy, as seen in an archive via Wayback Machine. 

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George Kittle and Caitlin Clark have something pretty important in common.

They are both University of Iowa alums. Kittle left the university in 2017 to go on and play in the NFL, and Clark moved on last year to become the first pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Kittle and Clark have met before to share their Hawkeye memories, and in discussing the upcoming American Century Classic golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, the star tight end praised her even more.

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"Caitlin's a dog. She couldn't be any nicer of a person. And she is just always nice, takes her time for everybody. I think when you go from being a college student to being one of the most popular people on the planet, I think she handles it incredibly well. She always has. She's an ultimate competitor," Kittle said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

As for her treatment on the court, notably some hard fouls and what many fans believe is jealousy, Kittle sidestepped a tad, but admitted that Clark "handles whatever is thrown her way incredibly well and with the highest grace."

"Just always proud of her and proud to say that she's a Hawkeye," Kittle said.

CAITLIN CLARK SAYS WNBA IS 'SICK' OVER FEVER'S COMMISSIONER'S CUP TITLE

Kittle will be on the course later this month for the famed tournament, saying his "anxiety couldn't be any higher" despite being a tremendous underdog to win.

Kittle described his first interaction with Clark in an interview with Fox News Digital last year.

"We were hanging out in the training room after the game just to get away from the crowd a little bit," he recalled. "She comes in, hugs all the athletic trainers, talks to everybody, talks to us a little bit, and you just see how much people care for her. She has this incredible reputation that she's built day in and day out. So, she's done that, and just so excited for her."

"You see how she is on the court. She has this competitiveness. She's got this fire in her," he continued. "But as soon as she gets off the court, there's this flip of the switch. She's just Caitlin Clark. To be able to go back and forth between all that, you have to be very good to be able to do that, and she does that flawlessly."

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American tennis pros were bounced early from Wimbledon this year, with several top-ranked players dropping in the first and second rounds of the tournament at the historic All England Club this week.

Frances Tiafoe, the 12th-seeded men’s player, exited the Grand Slam after losing a tough battle to Cam Norrie in the second round on Wednesday. The British tennis player, who entered the tournament unseeded, advanced to the third round after a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 victory. 

But Tiafoe wasn’t the only American to suffer a stunning defeat. 

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Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula — the top-seeded American women’s players — were both out after suffering upsets in the first round on Tuesday. 

"I definitely was struggling in the locker room. I don’t like losing," Gauff, the reigning French Open champion, said after losing her match in straight sets to an unseeded Dayana Yastremska on Tuesday. "The main thing I’m sure my team and everyone is going to tell me (is): 'You did well at Roland-Garros. Don't be so upset.' Things like that."

AMERICAN TENNIS PRO JESSICA PEGULA SUFFERS STUNNING EARLY WIMBLEDON EXIT

Earlier in the day, Pegula also lost in straight sets to 116th-ranked Italian tennis player Elisabetta Cocciaretto. It followed just days after victory over five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek on grass courts at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany.

But the Americans weren’t the only ones to have their Wimbledon dreams abruptly end. 

Three-time Grand Slam finalist and the No. 3 seed, Alexander Zverev, lost his first round match to 72nd-ranked Arthur Rinderknech in five sets. 

No. 7 seed Lorenzo Musetti was sent packing by 126th-ranked Nikoloz Basilashvili in the first round, and major finalists Zheng Qinwen, the No. 5 seed, and Karolina Muchova, the No. 15 seed, were also gone after their first round matches. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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The New York Knicks hadn't advanced to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000 before doing so in May. New York ultimately lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. 

Shortly after New York's playoff exit, the Knicks announced the organization would be moving on from coach Tom Thibodeau.

A wide-ranging coaching search ensued, which included multiple interview request denials. On Wednesday, the search reportedly culminated with the selection of Mike Brown. According to ESPN, the Knicks are expected to name Brown as the franchise's next head coach.

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A contract for Brown has yet to be finalized, but both sides appear to be making progress on a formal agreement. 

2025 NBA OFFSEASON TRADE TRACKER, GRADES: PISTONS GET DUNCAN ROBINSON IN SIGN-AND-TRADE

Brown's pending arrival in New York City comes nearly one month after Thibodeau's exit. Brown spent the past three NBA seasons coaching the Sacramento Kings. He also had two stints as the Cleveland Cavaliers' head coach and led the Los Angeles Lakers from 2011-12. He was named the Golden State Warriors' associate head coach in 2016.

Brown coached several notable NBA greats, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, the late Kobe Bryant and others in his career. Brown also spent multiple seasons learning under five-time NBA Finals-winning coach Gregg Popovich during the early portion of his career.

Brown has led a team to the NBA Finals just one time in his coaching career. Popovich and the Spurs swept Brown and Cavaliers in the 2007 finals.

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The U.S. men's national team is vying for the coveted Concacaf Gold Cup winners trophy. But, as the USMNT prepared for Wednesday's semifinal match against Guatemala, a flying object caused a disruption at the team's training grounds.

An unidentified party was believed to have been operating what appeared to be a drone in the vicinity of the team's training facility in St. Louis, CBS Sports reported.

The U.S. Soccer Federation did deploy three drones ahead of Tuesday's practice session, per the Associated Press. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino ultimately made light of the fourth, unexpected drone. 

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"If someone want some clips we can send. It’s not a problem," Pochettino said. "We are not going to hide nothing. It’s not the NASA here. It is the national – men’s national team. No problem."

The drone in question eventually landed outside the training facility's fenced perimeter.

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ESPN reported that U.S. soccer staffers are working to identify the drone.

Aside from the aerial disruption, the USMNT had to contend with a situation at ground level. A group of individuals had to be asked to cease what appeared to be unauthorized filming of the session, CBS Sports reported. It remains unclear whether the incident had any correlation to the flying object.

The U.S. men have not advanced to the Gold Cup final since 2021. The Americans brought home the championship that year. Guatemala's national team has never appeared in the final.

As it relates to the crucial semifinal, Pochettino said it was not clear whether midfielder Johnny Cardoso will be available for Wednesday's match. Cardoso missed Sunday’s quarterfinal win over Costa Rica.

"He was today training a little bit, but he’s feeling... a problem again in his ankle," Pochettino said. "It’s not a big issue, but it’s an uncomfortable situation."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss was noticeably absent from several broadcasts of ESPN's long-running "Sunday NFL Countdown" down the stretch of last year's NFL season.

The former wide receiver was forced to step away from his broadcasting duties when he learned of a cancer diagnosis. He made his health situation public last December. 

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Moss was able to make an appearance on ESPN in February on Super Bowl Sunday. "It's been hard but I got a lot of love and a lot of people believe in me, man. So I'm happy to be here," Moss said on Feb. 9 during his return to the ESPN set inside the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

The former Minnesota Vikings star is now set to return to the "Sunday NFL Countdown" on a full-time basis in time for the start of the 2025 season, ESPN confirmed to The Athletic. 

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ESPN described Moss' return as one of this offseason's watershed moments.

"Randy's return on Super Bowl Sunday was an emotional lift — not just for our team but for the entire football community — and knowing he will resume his full Sunday NFL Countdown schedule, beginning in Week 1, has been the highlight of the offseason," the network said in a statement sent to The Athletic.

In December, Moss went to his social media platform to reveal he was "battling something internally." He later stated that he was hospitalized after he underwent a procedure to treat cancer located in the bile duct between the pancreas and the liver.

Shortly after his announcement, ESPN confirmed Moss would take some time away from his role with the network.

"They found it in the bile duct right between the pancreas and the liver, and that the cancer was sitting right outside the bile duct," he said on Dec. 13.

The treatment plan for Moss included radiation and chemotherapy.

The upcoming 2025 NFL season will coincide with Moss' 10th season with ESPN.

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After recording his 12th professional win over the weekend, Jake Paul may now have no choice but to attempt to silence his critics.

Paul defeated former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the son of the boxing legend who held five different world titles in four different weight classes, on Saturday in Anaheim, and moved to 12-1.

With the victory, Paul is now officially ranked for the first time, coming in at No. 14 in the WBA cruiserweight rankings.

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This now makes him eligible for a title bout against Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez, who is 48-1. Ramirez defended his title in the co-main event on Saturday, beating Yuniel Dorticos (ranked No. 7) before Paul and Chavez Jr. took the ring.

Paul's career has often been mocked due to his opponents - fighters who are either out of their primes. like Mike Tyson, Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley, or unpopular pros like Ryan Bourland and Andre August. However, he has been adamant that he wants to become a world champion. 

In fact, he made the prediction to Fox News Digital that he would win a title before the summer of 2028.

Paul was recently challenged by Piers Morgan about his opponents, namely super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, but Paul again claimed that Alvarez "ducked" him.

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"Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, champions in their sport. Gold Gloves champions, Ryan Bourland, Andre August, undefeated fighters. The list goes on," Paul said to Morgan before his fight against Chavez Jr. "Former world champion on Saturday, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. I don't know what you guys want to see. I tried to fight Canelo, he ducked out of it… I'm trying to fight the best people. That's why Chavez is here on Saturday. I want Canelo, I want Anthony Joshua. I want all of these people. It's been five years in this sport.

"I've fought multiple boxers with professional records, including Mike Tyson himself."

Paul said back in February that he and Alvarez were in "deep negotiations" for a fight that would have occurred during Cinco de Mayo weekend. However, Alvarez wound up signing a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season to fight in Saudi Arabia.

"It’s disappointing to see how the situation unfolded. MVP operates with integrity, transparency and respect for the sport, its athletes and the fans. Unfortunately, not everyone in the boxing world shares those values," Paul's Most Valuable Promotions said at the time.

Both Paul's and Ramirez's next opponents are TBD, but perhaps the fact that both co-main evented the same card could be a form of foreshadowing. 

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Riley Gaines and Keith Olbermann were at it again on social media this week after the ex-ESPN host took aim at the former University of Kentucky swimmer following the resolution agreement between the University of Pennsylvania and the Education Department that resulted in the school stripping program records previously held by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. 

Olbermann posted a message on X on Tuesday calling Gaines "whiny" in response to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announcement that it had reached an agreement with UPenn following its investigation into Title IX violations that centered on Thomas’ participation on the women’s swimming team during the 2021-22 season. 

"Wanted to congratulate Whiny Gaines on now being able to say she finished tied for FOURTH not tied for FIFTH in the Lia Thomas race," Olbermann wrote in his post, referencing the 2022 NCAA Division I swimming championships when Gaines tied with Thomas for fifth place in the 200 free. 

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Gaines, the host of OutKick’s "Gaines for Girls" podcast and a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer, responded promptly to Olbermann’s slight and reminded the ex-ESPN host that Thomas ranked lower in the men’s competition before transitioning to the women’s team.

"Thank you! And while you’re keeping track, make sure to congratulate Emma Weyant, the right National Champ in the 500 freestyle, too," Gaines said, referring to Thomas' title in the 2022 championships.  

Gaines continued, "(If you're insinuating 5th in the nation is bad, what do you call a man who ranks 462nd nationally in the men's category?)" 
 

UPENN STILL ACKNOWLEDGES LIA THOMAS RECORDS IN UPDATE AFTER RESOLUTION WITH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title. During competition, Thomas set multiple individual program records. On Tuesday, UPenn announced that a trio of records set by Thomas that season would be updated to reflect the female competitor’s records. 

A note on the school’s website, however, still recognized Thomas’ records based on the NCAA’s eligibility requirements at the time. 

"NOTE: Competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time, Lia Thomas set program records in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle during the 2021-22 season," the annotation read. 

Earlier this year, in compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order, the NCAA announced it was updating its gender eligibility policies to ban all biological males from competing in women’s competition.

In UPenn’s statement on Tuesday, Penn President J. Larry Jameson said the university plans to "fully comply" with Title IX and the NCAA’s current policies. 

"The University will not – on the basis of sex – exclude female students from participation in, deny female students the benefits of, or subject female students to discrimination under, any athletics programs. In addition, in providing to female student-athletes intimate facilities such as locker rooms and bathrooms in connection with Penn Athletics, such facilities shall be strictly separated on the basis of sex and comparably provided to each sex," the school wrote. 

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Caitlin Clark has finally snapped back at her opponents.

Since making her WNBA debut last year, Clark has been the victim of hard fouls on the court and cultural wars off of it.

The cries from fans saying Clark's opponents are jealous of her have been loud and clear, and they were recently amplified when players ranked her the ninth-best All-Star guard in the WNBA.

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Well, it appears Clark is hitting back.

The Indiana Fever won the WNBA's Commissioner's Cup, an in-season tournament, with their 74-59 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, and the team celebrated in the locker room with some champagne and vodka seltzers.

Fever forward Aaliyah Boston took to Instagram Live to give a behind-the-scenes look at the celebration when Clark, who did not play due to a groin injury, took a shot.

"Guys, I just know everybody in the league is sick," Clark is heard saying from out of the shot.

The teammates replied with laughter, with Boston adding, "They're p---ed."

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While celebrating, Clark also voiced an opinion on the tournament and the $500,000 prize for the winning team.

"You get more (money) for this than you do if you’re the (WNBA Finals) champion. It makes no sense. Someone tell [WNBA commissioner] Cathy [Engelbert] to help us out," she said in another video.

It's been reported that WNBA champions win an extra $20,000, but the in-season tournament winnings come out to around $30,000 per player.

Clark was the first overall pick last year after becoming the NCAA's all-time leading scorer in both men's and women's Division I basketball. Her games in both college and the pros have been among some of the most-watched of all time. Her return from a calf injury on June 14 garnered 2.2 million viewers, the third-most watched WNBA game ever on ABC. The game peaked at 2.8 million viewers, a 76% increase from last season’s regular-season average on the network.

The WNBA had its most-watched regular season in 24 years last season and its highest attendance in 22 years.

Ahead of the WNBA season, the Fever had the 10 most in-demand games on StubHub, with most of their games being moved to larger capacity venues.

Despite this, Angel Reese once said that the rise of women's basketball "is not just because of one person - it's because of me, too." A'ja Wilson also once said that Clark's race was a "huge thing" when it came to her popularity.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks have finally had enough with one of their most loyal fans.

Dave McCaskill is a season-ticket holder for his beloved D-Backs and owns an Advantage Membership account, which grants him access to specific events, early postseason ticket access and discounts throughout the ballpark.

However, after being involved in yet another fan-interference dilemma, the Diamondbacks banned him for the remainder of the year and terminated his membership account.

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"This particular fan has been involved in multiple offenses at Chase Field…" the team said in a statement. "This fan will have the opportunity to return to Chase Field in 2026 so long as he meets certain terms and abides by our Fan Code of Conduct."

McCaskill reached for a ball that was off the bat of San Francisco Giants third baseman Christian Koss. The ball just missed the outstretched glove of left fielder Tim Tawa. Center fielder Alek Thomas appeared to exchange words with McCaskill, who tossed the ball to Thomas. Thomas then tossed it back up. Koss was initially ruled out, but after review, he was awarded a double, and McCaskill was booted from the ballpark.

Recent videos of McCaskill making plays on borderline home run balls resurfaced on social media shortly after the D-Backs' announcement.

"I'm a D-Backs fan. I would never want to do anything to hurt the D-backs or to have them lose the game," McCaskill told Fox 10 Phoenix.

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However, he admitted to being "ejected three times." (He later corrected himself to "technically… twice.")

"I caught the ball, came right down, and you see my glove hit the yellow, the top. So I think the ball would have bounced on top and gone over," McCaskill explained.

Fans are not allowed to reach over the wall, or the imaginary line directly above it, to catch a ball. But, it is fair game once the ball crosses said imaginary line. Jomboy Media pointed out a total of four instances, with other social media accounts saying he's been involved in five such reviews.

"What I can comment on is last night, the play happened, I want the play to play. I want the play to be played out… I want plays to be made by the players," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.

McCaskill, according to the New York Post, said he has "followed" notorious ballhawk Zack Hample, who has garnered plenty of controversy throughout his game-attending days. Hample has caught over 10,000 baseballs.

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The University of Pennsylvania took swift action on Tuesday to adhere to the resolution agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights after an investigation found that UPenn violated Title IX during the 2021-22 season because of the inclusion of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. 

As part of that resolution, UPenn agreed to restore individual titles and records to those female athletes that were "misappropriated by male athletes allowed to compete in female categories." 

However, while the university’s website was updated to remove Thomas’ name from a trio of records the former swimmer set during that season, the website still acknowledged Thomas’ record with a note regarding NCAA eligibility rules at the time. 

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"NOTE: Competing under eligibility rules in effect at the time, Lia Thomas set program records in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle during the 2021-22 season," the annotation read. 

Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title. During competition, Thomas set multiple individual program records, including the 500 freestyle race which resulted in a national title.

According to UPenn’s website, Anna Kalandadze’s record of 4:37.21 set in 2024 in the 500 free was restored as the new record. Kayla Fu, a freshman at UPenn, had her 2025 record in the 100 free restored as the new record. 

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Additionally, former UPenn swimmer Virginia Burns, who set the 200 free record with a time of 1:45.51 in 2017, had her record restored as the top time. 

The Education Department previously launched an investigation into UPenn on Feb. 6. The Trump administration later froze $175 million in funding for the school on March 20 for failing to comply with an executive order. Then, on April 28, the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights announced its investigation concluded that UPenn did violate Title IX in its handling of the Thomas situation.

As a result of this week’s resolution agreement, UPenn agreed to restore records and issue apologies to female athletes impacted by those violations. 

"While Penn’s policies during the 2021-2022 swim season were in accordance with NCAA eligibility rules at the time, we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules," Penn President J. Larry Jameson said in a statement released by the university on Tuesday.  

"We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time." 

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U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon unveiled arguably the biggest step yet in President Donald Trump's mission to combat trans inclusion in women's sports on Tuesday. 

The announcement that the University of Pennsylvania had come to a resolution with the administration over its handling of the Lia Thomas situation years ago closed a controversy that ignited a cultural debate when Thomas competed in the NCAA women's swimming championship in 2022. 

The Thomas saga at the 2022 NCAA championships is largely considered a cultural turning point in the national debate over transgender athletes in women's sports. At the time, current prominent conservative activist Riley Gaines was just a dental student who had to settle for a tie with Thomas in one of the NCAA championship events. 

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McMahon followed the situation through the news that year. 

"The first thing when I looked and saw the difference in size between Riley Gaines and Lia Thomas, I said, ‘oh my gosh, this is just totally unfair,'" McMahon told Fox News Digital, recalling when Gaines infamously tied Thomas in that year’s competition. "To think, given all that, she tied, which is amazing, but it was just totally unfair. She should have walked away with that, coming in clearly for the fifth place, and that just didn't happen." 

McMahon said she hopes that Tuesday's announcement sends a message to other girls in high school and college across the country. 

"I think those girls, hopefully they will look at Riley and Paula [Scanlan] and others as real role models and give them the strength to stand up," McMahon said. 

The department previously launched an investigation into UPenn on Feb. 6. The Trump administration later froze $175 million in funding for the school on March 20. Then, on April 28, the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights announced its investigation concluded that UPenn did violate Title IX in its handling of the Thomas situation.

Now, UPenn has agreed to implement a strict policy keeping trans athletes out of women's sports and issue apologies to all the women who have been impacted.

However, McMahon's work doesn't end with UPenn. The Department of Education and other branches of Trump's administration are fighting the issue on multiple fronts, with an active lawsuit against the state of Maine for refusing to comply with Trump's mandate on the issue. The administration is also in a standoff with California and Minnesota over the issue, as well as those states that have aggressively defied Trump's mandate on the issue. 

McMahon hopes UPenn's agreement sends a message to those states.

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"Our sincere hope is that they absolutely recognize what they're going to have to do relative to comply with Title IX. It is the law," McMahon said. "There are federal funds that have been withheld and withdrawn, so there's penalties involved in this. But it's actually just the right thing to do, it's common sense to do, that men should not compete in women's sports." 

On the same day that McMahon's department announced its investigation against UPenn, it also announced an investigation against San Jose State University for its handling of former transgender volleyball player Blaire Fleming. The situation involving Fleming culminated in a nationally-publicized scandal in the 2024 fall season, which included multiple lawsuits by San Jose State and other Mountain West volleyball players. 

Recently, Fox News Digital reported that the Mountain West Conference hired the same law firm to investigate the trans athlete's misconduct allegations that the conference was using to defend the athlete's eligibility for the conference tournament in court. 

Fox News Digital reported on June 24 that the Mountain West had hired the firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher to investigate allegations against Fleming of conspiring with an opponent to have teammate Brooke Slusser harmed during an Oct. 3 game. 

Mountain West hired the firm to handle the investigation in the same month that the same firm represented the conference to protect Fleming's eligibility in a request for a preliminary injunction to have the trans athlete disqualified from women's competition and the conference tournament.  

Now, with the UPenn situation resolved, McMahon will continue working to address the SJSU investigation. 

"Our investigation will continue," McMahon said of the developing situation with SJSU. 

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