Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has landed herself a new gig.
The popular golfcontent creator announced this week that she will be joining the Grass League, an innovative new golf league in its second season, as a member of the front office.
"I am joining the front office at Grass League, yay!" She said in the announcement posted to her YouTube channel on Thursday.
"I will be joining the front office which means that I will be focusing on brand development, fan engagement, marketing, content strategy, seeking out new talent, team owners, and acquiring sponsorships."
"We are honored to announce [Paige Spiranac] has joined the Grass League front office," the league added in a post on social media. "Paige is THE OG golf influencer, a great person, golfer, businesswoman, and has an incredible mind for new age sports media. We are excited to have Paige on the team, and look forward to working together to shape the future of golf."
The Grass League describes itself as a new high stakes Par 3 golf league that features both amateur and professional players competing in team-based formats.
According to Forbes, the inaugural season was played at one venue in Tempe, Arizona but branched out this year to include one tournament in California.
The event is set to be broadcast live on the Golf Channel.
"This is really exciting for me and I feel like it is part of this next development and stage of my career. But don’t you worry, this will not take away from anything else that I’m currently doing. It is only going to add to it, and I can’t wait to tell you more about why," Spiranac said.
The Grass League is currently made up of 11 franchises with the San Diego Munis on top of the leaderboard with 753 points.
An investigation by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) into two New York state agencies has found that both violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act over a ban on Native American-inspired mascots and logos – an issue thrust into the national spotlight because of one Long Island school district.
The Department of Education released a press release of its findings on Friday, just a month after first launching the probe into the New York Department of Education and the New York State Board of Regents.
"The Trump Administration will not stand idly by as state leaders attempt to eliminate the history and culture of Native American tribes," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who visited Massapequa High School on Friday, said.
"Rather than focus on learning outcomes, the New York Department of Education and Board of Regents has set its sights on erasing Massapequa’s history – while turning a blind eye to other districts’ mascots that are derived from or connected to other racial or ethnic groups. We will stand with the people of Massapequa until commonsense is restored and justice is served, and until New York comes into compliance with federal law."
The investigation was brought about when the Native American Guardians Association (NAGA) filed a complaint in April after claiming that the state agencies forced Massapequa School District, home of the Chiefs, to retire its mascot.
"The Native American Guardians Association stands firm in asserting that the preservation of Native themes and imagery in New York public schools is not only a matter of cultural dignity but a fundamental civil right for all students. We call on federal and state leaders to help us defend these dwindling expressions or our presence and contributions," Vice President of NAGA Frank Blackcloud said in a statement at the time.
"Maintaining a respectable presence in NY State schools is vital to educational equity, historical truth, and the civil rights of all American Indians."
The Department of Education also found that while Native American-inspired mascots, names and logos were not permitted under the policy, others that "appear to have been derived from other racial or ethnic groups" were, making the policy "discriminatory."
The district sued the state in September, claiming its First Amendment rights were violated, but a federal judge ruled against it. Rebranding, including changing the name and logo, would cost roughly $1 million, district officials claimed.
President Donald Trump became aware of the issue last month and encouraged the Department of Education to look into the ban, which he called "an affront to our great Indian population."
The 2022 mandate requires all public schools to retire Native American mascots and logos or risk the loss of federal funding. Four schools on Long Island have since filed lawsuits.
The Department of Education announced Friday as part of its investigation that proposed resolution to the violations includes rescinding the ban on "Indigenous names, mascots, and logos," issuing a memorandum to public schools informing them of the changes, and issuing apology letters to Indigenous tribes acknowledging that the actions of the two agencies "silenced the voices of Native Americans and attempted to erase Native American history."
The Department of Education said failure to comply with the resolution plan risks further action by the Department of Justice and the potential loss of federal funding.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
Clovis, California, will be the epicenter in the political battle over trans athletes in girls' sports this weekend.
The town is set to host the state track and field championships, which has been thrust into the national spotlight amid a trans athlete competing in the girls' category after President Donald Trump called out the situation on Truth Social this week.
Dianne Pearce, the town's mayor pro tem, told Fox News Digital she has been actively lobbying to make Trump aware of the situation for weeks and got her fellow local officials involved.
"I've been in touch with the White House legislative affairs office to kind of see what would be needed from this community, from the Clovis area to show our support for the Trump administration's efforts to get California to comply with Title IX and his ["Keeping Men out of Women's Sports"] executive order," Pearce said.
Pearce said her path to getting the White House involved was to "amplify the voices" of the town's residents, who only support female athletes competing in girls' sports.
Pearce succeeded in that goal, which culminated in a press conference involving state and local leaders speaking out in support of Trump's executive order and against Democrats for enabling trans athletes to play in California girls' sports ahead of the championship meet.
Pearce says Trump's post was a driving factor in driving enthusiasm for the cause.
The press conference featured statements from Pearce, Clovis Unified School District board trustee Tiffany Stoker Madsen, state Assemblyman David Tangipa, who represents the district where Clovis is based, U.S. House Rep. Vince Fong, who also represents the district where Clovis is based, and Fresno County supervisors Gary Bredefeld and Nathan Maxson, all speaking in support of Trump's agenda on the issue.
"We must stand for what is true and what is fair, especially in areas where biological differences make a difference," said Stoker Madsen. "What is happening in women's sports is wrong. These female athletes deserve a level playing field… I urge Governor Newsom and our California state legislatures to protect the women of California."
Other residents and local officials, including Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua, stood behind the speakers in solidarity with the pro-Trump stance.
While Mouanoutoua and Pearce are both Republicans, Clovis as a town has leaned left in recent years, albeit less left than other parts of the deep-blue state. The town's county of Fresno voted in favor of Trump in the 2024 election by a margin of 50.9% to 46.5%. However, the county voted Democrat in every prior presidential election dating back to 2008.
Now, the issue of trans athletes appears to be potentially pushing the town, or at least its leadership, even further into Trump's corner. And residents will get an up-close look at the impact of the issue at this weekend's title meet.
The state title meet will take place at Buchanan High School's Veterans Memorial Stadium, with the preliminary round on Friday and the finals on Saturday. The event is expected to feature protesters and security.
In Trump's Tuesday Truth Social post, he claimed he would be "ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals."
Pearce said she has no knowledge of this being communicated to the town's police force.
"As far as I know that has not occurred," she said.
A Clovis Unified Police Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that they are also unaware of any communication with Trump involving security procedures for the event. Still, Pearce is expecting a vigilante police presence at the event.
"They are prepared to make sure that this weekend's state championships are a safe environment for our athletes and their families and those who choose to come out and support them this weekend," Pearce said.
Once the competition begins, all eyes will be on the trans athlete, AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School. Hernandez has dominated in girls' long jump and triple jump this postseason, taking first place in both events at the Southern Sectional finals on May 17 and the state qualifiers on May 24.
Hernandez has garnered scrutiny during the athlete's dominant postseason run, often getting heckled by spectators at the meets. Pearce hopes that spectators treat Hernandez with respect during the events on Friday and Saturday.
"I expect people to treat this athlete with compassion. I think, unfortunately, the failures of the adults who set this policy created this situation. They have allowed this particular athlete to be in a position where controversy surrounds him wherever he goes, and I think that's unfortunate," Pearce said.
"I don't think anybody should do anything to make him unsafe while he's here in Clovis competing, but again, it's unfair for him to be in the girls' division."
Pearce said her "worst-case scenario" for this weekend's meet would be a lack of respect and security for any of the competitors involved.
"If there is anything that isn't respectful and challenges the safety and security of the environment and the atmosphere, that would be terrible," Pearce said. "These kids deserve better than that. They've been failed by the adults already at the legislative level and the policy level by the CIF, I hope those attendants don't fail them as well."
What Pearce does hope to see is the female athletes emerge victorious in their respective events. However, she is also prepared for more potential fallout from the meet after helping to summon Trump's attention to the situation.
Trump's insistence on enforcing his executive order has already resulted in a months-long feud between his administration and the Democrat-controlled state of Maine. The feud has resulted in multiple funding freezes, which have already been reversed, and a lawsuit against the state by the U.S. Department of Justice.
With the Justice Department launching an investigation against California this week after Trump's post, Pearce knows that her state could very well be next in line for funding cuts on the issue. Additionally, as a public employee, she knows that it could affect her and her colleagues, but Pearce would fully support any funding cuts to her state over the issue anyway. To her, it is not a hard decision to support.
"It's not a hard decision to come to, because more important to me is that our girls and that their spaces are respected and protected," Pearce said. "If they have to threaten that type action against CIF, Governor Newsom and state legislature that they would pull federal funding from the state, again, the decision rests with those leaders. They can do the right thing and we don't even have to talk about this."
The New York Knicks staved off elimination from the NBA Playoffs on Thursday night with a 111-94 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, but basketball great Charles Barkley is not sold on the NBA championship coming back to the Big Apple.
In a post-game interview with award-winning director and Knicks superfan Spike Lee on "Inside the NBA," Barkley let slip his true feelings about the Knicks’ chances of winning their first championship since 1973.
"I would give up an Academy Award, Oscar for the Knicks to win a championship," Lee said during the broadcast. "I got two already,"
"There’s no filter on this guy, you’ve known him long enough. If he thinks it, it's coming out," Ernie Johnson Jr. added with a laugh.
Despite Barkley’s doubts, the Knicks did put on an award-worthy show on Thursday night.
Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, and an injured Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 13 rebounds just two nights after giving up 43 points to the Pacers in the first quarter.
"Our backs were against the wall. So, I mean, we’ve got to give it everything we got," Brunson said.
The Knicks return to Indiana hoping to repeat their Game 5 performance on Saturday night. No team has won a conference finals series after dropping the first two games at home.
The University of Texas at Austin's athletic department has long been heralded for its access to seemingly unmatched financial resources.
The Texas Longhorns football program maintains arguably some of the best — if not the top — amenities in the nation.
Since the advent of name, image and likeness (NIL), there has been a noticeable uptick in the amount of financial resources programs across the U.S. have allocated to football, basketball and other sports.
Ohio State reportedly built one of the country's most expensive rosters en route to January's national championship.
Some have asserted Texas' spending heading into the 2025 campaign was on par with or even surpassed the $20 million the Buckeyes spent.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian denied the $40 million price tag linked to the Longhorns.
Sarkisian referenced a recent Houston Chronicle column that highlighted Texas' roster payroll. The column accounted for revenue sharing and Texas NIL collective payouts. According to the outlet, revenue-sharing funds totaled $20.5 million. The total spent on the football team was reported to be between $35-$40 million.
Sarkisian suggested $25 million was a more accurate figure for Texas' investment. He also hinted the $40 million figure was a result of "irresponsible reporting."
"There was one anonymous source that said that's what our roster was. I wish I had $40 million on our roster. We'd probably be a little bit better team than we are," the coach said during a recent appearance on SiriusXM's College Sports Radio.
Sarkisian then addressed the current landscape of college football.
"The idea to think that a lot of other schools aren’t spending money to get players? It’s the state of college football right now. It is what it is," he said.
Texas has advanced to the College Football Playoff the past two seasons. The Longhorns lost 37-31 to Washington in the 2023–24 playoff semifinal.
After defeating Clemson in the first round last season, Texas survived a double-overtime thriller against Arizona State in the quarterfinals. But the Longhorns could not get past Ohio State in the semifinals.
"It’s been a great run. I wish I had about another $15 million or so, though. We might have a better roster," Sarkisian said.
EXCLUSIVE: The California high school track and field state championship is shaping up to be one of the most unprecedented high school sports events in recent history.
Amid a national controversy involving a trans athlete competing in the girls' category, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced a series of sweeping rule changes in the days leading up to the event to accommodate female competitors.
But now multiple families of girls who have already been displaced by a trans athlete at previous meets have spoken out against the federation, expressing dissatisfaction with the changes.
On Tuesday, the CIF announced it would expand the size of the championship competition pool and inviting "biological female" athletes who missed out on making the title meet by one spot due to a trans athlete finishing ahead of them in last week's qualifying round.
Then on Wednesday, the federation announced it would also recognize female athletes on the medal podium if a girl who misses out on a medal finish does so because they came behind a trans athlete.
Crean Lutheran track and field star Reese Hogan finished in second place to trans athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School in the triple jump at the Southern Sectional final on May 17. Then, on the medal podium, after Hernandez stepped off, Hogan stepped up to the first-place spot for a photo-op to a roaring applause. The stunt went viral as Hogan was praised by women's sports rights activists as a heroine.
But CIF's latest rule changes won't be giving Hogan the first-place medal for that event.
Hogan's family provided a statement from her to Fox News Digital that read, "The recent CIF rule changes clearly acknowledge a misstep on their part. However, what they've proposed falls short of what we truly need for all girls across all sports. I placed second in CIF, and I know that if I hadn't been competing against a boy, I would have claimed the top spot on the podium."
"Unfortunately, we can't revisit that moment to rectify this injustice. This issue transcends a single meet, sport, or individual; it’s fundamentally about the rights of all females to compete fairly among themselves. We deserve that opportunity, and we will continue to advocate for it."
Hogan has previously told Fox News Digital she finds the situation involving Hernandez "sad."
"It's just kind of sad just watching. He's obviously a really talented athlete, we've all seen him jump and stuff, and I wish him the best of luck, but in a boys' division," Hogan previously told Fox News Digital about competing against the athlete. "It's pretty obvious the certain advantages that he has, and it's obviously just sad as a woman to watch that."
Meanwhile, the family of Hogan's Crean Lutheran teammate, Olivia Viola, also isn't satisfied with the rule changes.
"While we are grateful that a few female athletes will regain their ability to compete at states and females will earn their rightful titles at this weekends competition, unfortunately CIFs trial program doesn’t actually fix anything. Women are still being forced to compete against biological males. The title IX civil rights of our daughters, sisters, friends and teammates are still being violated," Viola's family said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"Unfortunately, with each step our state leaders take, comes the realization that California really has no intention of protecting our girls in the ways that are necessary. The pilot program essentially admits that allowing biological males to compete in the female category was a mistake. Now it’s time for full course correction. There is a fundamental truth here that must be upheld. Separating competitive athletics into two XX-XY gender categories must be a non-negotiable."
President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation when he sent a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, warning the state and Gov. Gavin Newsom of potential funding cuts and orders to local authorities to prevent a trans athlete from competing in the girls' category on Saturday. The first rule change came just hours after Trump's post.
The Department of Justice announced it would launch an investigation into the CIF and California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state's law that allows biologically male trans athletes to compete with girls and women on Wednesday. The second rule change took place shortly after that announcement.
On Tuesday, the family of another girls' track star who has been displaced by Hernandez in the track and field postseason, Katie McGuinness of La Canada High School, told Fox News Digital they are grateful for Trump's intervention.
"We are grateful that President Trump is fighting for female athletes and giving them a fair shot to compete on a level playing field. CIF's ‘solution’ to this situation, which allows additional girls to compete at the state championship who otherwise didn't qualify because the transgender athlete took their spot, isn't good enough – it's still an unfair competition and an injustice to the girls competing," the family said in a statement.
"Allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports is unfair, unjust and defies common sense," the family added.
Katie previously spoke out against CIF for allowing the situation to get this far in an interview on Fox News' "America Reports" last week.
"I have nothing against this athlete as a person, and I have nothing against the trans community," McGuinness said. "My message today is really specifically to CIF and for them to act quickly and in a timely manner because this is a really time-sensitive issue."
A New York Yankees fan did his best to evade security while running on the field, and he caught it all on his phone.
In the bottom of the seventh with his Bronx Bombers up 1-0 (the same score they'd win by) against the Los Angeles Angels, a fan pulled off a bold strategy by rushing onto the field of play.
The fan, wearing a pinstriped Aaron Judge jersey, sprinted from center to right field and even managed to juke security in the process right in front of right fielder Cody Bellinger.
He appeared to record the ordeal on his phone, and hopped back into the stands, thinking he was scot-free.
But that only lasted so long as security dragged him back onto the warning track and apprehended him. He left the field in cuffs, assisted by security.
The fan missed the Yankees winning their 16th game in their last 20 contests as they took a seven-game lead in the American League East.
Clarke Schmidt allowed four hits over six sharp innings, and Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill and Mark Leiter got the final nine outs to preserve the shutout.
The lone run of the game came on an Anthony Volpe sac fly.
Yankees starting pitchers have a major league-best 2.54 ERA over their last 39 games and have limited opponents to no more than one run in 22 of those outings.
New York is 35-20, which is the third-best record in the league, and their AL East lead is the largest in baseball.
The Yanks have also won five in a row and nine of their last 10. They now face a three-game set in a World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who defeated them in five games in the Fall Classic.
Two years ago, Will Levis found himself falling in the NFL Draft after once being rumored to be a possible No. 2 overall pick. Instead, he was selected in the second round, prompting awkward moments in the draft green room.
Today, Levis finds himself out of a starter's job after his Tennessee Titans selected Cam Ward with the first overall pick.
It is a less than ideal situation for the third-year quarterback who once thought he would be the future of the franchise.
"Anyone who's ever been in my situation would agree that it sucks," Levis said Wednesday, via Main Street Nashville.
But the chin stays up, and the mentality stays the same.
"I'm just trying to do the best I can to not let it affect me and just being the same dude every day in the building and being there for the guys however I can and just trying to get better every day," Levis said.
Despite a new role, Levis plans on treating every day like he has in the last few years.
"I haven't been a backup in a while, but I don't plan on shifting my mindset, regardless of what the situation is," he said. "I'm just going to be ready to play quarterback whenever my name is called."
Levis showed promise early on, throwing four touchdowns in his NFL debut. But, overall, it's been less than stellar. In 21 games, he has a 5-16 record and has thrown for 3,899 yards and 21 touchdowns against 16 interceptions. He's completed just 61% of his passes.
Levis figures to be the favorite to win the backup job against Tim Boyle and Brandon Allen.
Pat McAfee pumped up Pacers fans in the final minutes of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, but there's one Indiana native who was not a fan of the pep talk.
With the Pacers leading the New York Knicks 111-96 with 9:52 left in the game, McAfee took the mic to take shots at celebrity Knicks fans in the building and the team in general.
"Indianapolis, Indiana, we’ve got some bigwigs from the big city in the building. Spike Lee is here. Ben Stiller is here. Timothée Chalamet is here," McAfee said as Pacers fans booed those celebrities.
"Let’s send these sons of b------ back to New York with their ears ringing. Let’s turn this s--- up!"
Thankfully for McAfee, his words didn't come back to haunt him because the Pacers held on to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
But John Mellencamp, who was at the game, said he was "embarrassed" when "somebody … called out" the Knicks fans.
"The Knicks/Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who likes basketball or sports. I attended Game 4 in Indianapolis," Mellencamp, who's from Seymour, Indiana, said on social media.
"‘Hoosier Hospitality’ …I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don’t know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team. The audience booed these people. I’d say that was not Hoosier Hospitality.
"One could only say it’s poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I’ve lived here my entire life. On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I’m sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown."
Tyrese Haliburton dropped 32 points for a triple-double in Game 4, and he did not commit a turnover.
The Knicks need to win each of the next three games if they want to make it to the NBA Finals. The winner of the series will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be playing for a championship for the first time since 2012.
The Knicks and Pacers have failed to reach the NBA Finals during the 21st century.
Indiana defeated the Knicks in a playoff series last year.
Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II made a sensational catch as he robbed a three-run home run during the fourth inning of the team's 5-4 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies were up 2-0 with runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth inning. Phillies left fielder Max Kepler smoked a hanging 85 MPH splitter off Scott Blewett and drove Harris back towards the center field wall.
Harris tracked the ball all the way and timed his leap beautifully and reached over the wall to make the catch, and bring back what would have been a three-run home run for Kepler.
The Braves and Phillies are playing a doubleheader on Thursday after Wednesday’s game was postponed due to inclement weather.
Harris burst onto the scene with the Braves and won National League Rookie of the Year in 2022. He hit .297 with 19 home runs and 64 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
However, the 24-year-old in recent seasons hasn’t played as well as he did in his rookie season. This season, in 53 games, Harris has a .223 batting average with three home runs and a paltry .255 on-base percentage.
The second game of the doubleheader between the Phillies (36-19) and Braves (25-29) starts at 6:45 p.m. ET.
"When you come up (on) the side of the business that I came up, living up to your agreements is a really important thing and this was overdue in my opinion."
Manfred said there were three different factors that drove the decision to reinstate MLB's hit king.
"Number one: Our permanently ineligible list is effectively a ban on working in the game. This is a matter of logic. There's no reason to have a person who has passed away still on that list. Number two: Pete Rose is a part of the history of our game. Every other player, including 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson, has been considered by the Hall of Fame and they've made a decision. I saw no reason to leave Pete Rose out there as one of one, no consideration," Manfred said.
"And then, last, I think what people don't realize is Pete Rose wasn't disciplined by commissioner (Bart) Giamatti. He entered a settlement agreement with the league. At the time they entered into that settlement, he went on the permanently ineligible list knowing that the rules allowed the Hall of Fame to consider him. Commissioner Giamatti went out, had a press conference the day of the settlement and he was asked about the Hall of Fame and he said this settlement should have nothing to do with the Hall of Fame," Manfred said.
"The Hall of Fame should consider Pete Rose under its existing rules. So I see the decision as baseball living up to the deal that they originally made with Pete Rose."
Rose died at age 83 in September 2024, but the debate about whether he should be in the Hall of Fame has raged on.
The Cincinnati Reds star became a polarizing figure when news of his gambling on games rocked the sports world. Rose received a lifetime ban from MLB in 1989, but after his removal from the permanently ineligible list, will be eligible to be voted on for the first time.
Rose is MLB’s hit king with 4,256 career hits. He was the National League MVP in 1974 and was a 17-time All-Star, a three-time World Series champion and a three-time batting champion.
However, Mahomes appeared uninterested in the role when asked about it by reporters on Thursday.
"I'll probably leave that to the younger guys. I'll be a little older by the time that comes around," Mahomes said.
In the summer of 2028, when The Games will take place, Mahomes will be 32 years old and just weeks away from turning 33 that September.
Mahomes previously suggested he would "want to" play in the Olympics, but questioned whether he has the skills to do so, and also expressed concerns about his age, back in August.
"There’s the want to, I just don’t know if my skill set is what is required for flag football," Mahomes said at the time via Nice Kicks.
"First, I’m going to be in my 30s at that point and then it’s a lot of scrambling at the QB position. It’s not just sitting there throwing. And then I’m sure more of the athletic quarterbacks might get out there. I could be a coach. You get a gold medal for being a coach? Maybe I could be a consultant for the team."
NFL owners unanimously approved players’ participation in flag football during their meeting earlier this month.
Last month, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said interest in competing in the Summer Olympics has been a hot topic in the league, adding a resolution on the issue may be forthcoming.
"Well, I’ve heard directly from a lot of players who want to participate and represent their country, whether it’s the United States or a country that they came from," Goodell said in April.
"I think that's something that we'll continue to discuss with, not just the union, but also the clubs. I think both of those are things that we'll probably resolve sometime in the next 60 days."
Other players who have expressed interest in competing in the Olympics include Tyreek Hill, Aaron Jones, and Kyle Juszczyk. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who won the Super Bowl in February, was also recently tabbed the flag football ambassador for the Games.
A lawsuit claims that a former Seton Hall pitcher was the subject of hazing by his teammates, including gross sexual acts.
The former pitcher, whose name has not been publicly identified, said he was "spitting blood everywhere" during one incident, and the hazing dashed his dream of making the big leagues.
The lawsuit claims that nude and violent wrestling, as well as a masturbation ritual, are just some of the hazing incidents.
The player in the lawsuit claims he was forced to show his genitals to other players, and he was called a "p---y" when he did not oblige.
"What’s going on in the locker room is some sick, sick stuff," the player told the New York Post.
The suit alleges that head coach Rob Sheppard and the school had ignored complaints and "failed to investigate or discipline the perpetrators, allowing the toxic culture to persist."
"There’s gotta be some accountability taken by the coach," the player said. "He’s gotta lay his foot down and take control of that whole situation and try to make things a lot better."
The player eventually quit the team, and left the school, before even playing a game.
"It was a dark time for me — I was sad, depressed," he said. "I was down in the dumps every day."
The suit claims that the player's move to a Division III school "cost him a season of eligibility and… diminishing his visibility and professional baseball prospects."
"To spend my whole life trying to get to that point, and I finally got there, and then had this all happen, and it’s just derailed my whole career," the player said.
The university sent the following statement to Fox News Digital:
"Seton Hall is firmly committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment. Upon learning of certain allegations earlier this year, the University promptly retained a nationally respected third-party investigator to conduct an independent and thorough review. As litigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further at this time."
Mo Vaughn, Craig Biggio, Rick Cerone and Jason Grilli all attended the university.
The Washington Capitals went into damage control on Thursday after reports that an email to season ticket holders had been sent out informing them that the 2025-2026 NHL season would be the last for hockey great Alex Ovechkin.
Reports began circulating on social media Thursday afternoon that Ovechkin, who turns 40 in September, would be preparing for his final season in the league.
According to a report from thehockeywriters.com, an email was sent out Thursday that read, "OCTOBER – the start of Capitals hockey and Alex Ovechkin’s FINAL NHL SEASON."
Shortly after the report began spreading, the Capitals public relations team put out a statement clarifying that "no decision" regarding Ovechkin’s future has been made and that the email was sent out in mistake.
"No decision has been made on Alex Ovechkin’s future following the 2025-26 NHL season. An email was sent from an individual with the corporate sales department that mistakenly alluded to next year being Alex Ovechkin’s final year."
Questions about Ovechkin’s future followed his career goal-scoring record, which he set when he broke Wayne Gretzky’s mark of 895 in April. He enters the next season on the final year of his contract.
Earlier this month after the Capitals were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Carolina Hurricanes, the Russian hockey star confirmed that he would at least be returning in the fall to play in what will be his 21st season in the NHL.
"I’m going to use those couple months (in the offseason) to rest, enjoy my life, then back to work," he said. "Me and (trainer Pavel Burlachenko are) going do our job to get ready for the season and just do my best."
Despite suffering a broken leg last season, Ovechkin returned to score 44 goals and break Gretzky’s record.
"I’m looking forward for next year," he added. "I’m going to try to do my best to play, and my team is going to help me, too. . . . I just want to come back next year and see the team who’s capable of winning the Stanley Cup."
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White didn’t mince words when sharing her thoughts on officiating in the WNBA, which followed Saturday’s game where Caitlin Clark suffered a quad injury that will sideline the star guard for at least two weeks.
Apparently those strong remarks landed White in some trouble with the league.
After the Fever suffered a disappointing loss against the Washington Mystics in the team’s first game without Clark, White was asked during the postgame presser whether she believed the league needed to step in to protect top players from "intentionally rough play."
"Obviously, I think we can get better in certain areas as far as how we call the game, consistency with how we call the game. . . . Are we going to say that we want a free-flowing offensive game, or are we going to have tough, grind-out physical games? And whatever way it is, the players will adjust and coaches will adjust but we can’t have it be one way one quarter and another way another quarter."
She continued, "I don’t think collectively as a whole the league has to step in and do something, I just think that there has to be some improvements in certain areas."
But when pushed further on what those areas might be, White revealed that her previous remarks – likely those on Saturday night – resulted in her receiving a fine.
"Are we trying to get me fined again? Because I did just get fined," she said with a smirk.
White did not elaborate further, but the fine likely stemmed from her comments following Saturday’s loss to the New York Liberty.
"I think it’s pretty egregious what’s been happening to us the last four games, you know, a minus-31 free throw discrepancy," White said, adding she believed Clark was fined in the play of the game. "And I might be able to understand it if we were just chucking 3s. But we’re not. We’re attacking the rim and the disrespect right now for our team has been pretty unbelievable."
White said Monday that she was not sure when Clark sustained the injury exactly.
"Sometimes great players don't tell you when they're hurting," she said. "I'm glad that she did because we need to nip this in the bud."
The Florida Panthers advanced to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final with a 5-3 victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night at the Lenovo Center.
It was also the second consecutive year the team did not touch the Prince of Wales Trophy, which is awarded to the Eastern Conference champion.
It worked for the Panthers last year, as they went on to defeat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games and won their first championship in franchise history.
While the Panthers ended up winning Game 5, it did not start out well for them. The Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period as they capitalized on Panthers giveaways.
The Panthers responded with three second-period goals to take a 3-2 lead. Hurricanes’ forward Seth Jarvis tied the game 3-3 in the third period as they looked to extend their season, but they would not find the back of the net again.
After a sensational individual effort along the boards behind the Hurricanes’ net, Panthers center Aleksander Barkov found Carter Verhaeghe with a slick pass, and Verhaeghe buried the puck into the net and gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead.
"He took on one guy, then two guys and then gave the puck to me with a pretty open net," Verhaeghe said of Barkov’s key assist. "So it was an unbelievable play by Barky at a critical time."
Sam Bennett clinched the win for the Panthers with an empty-net goal with 54 seconds remaining in the game.
This was the second time in three years the Panthers had defeated the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, but the Panthers' celebration after the win this time was much more subdued.
"I remember a few years ago, it felt like such an accomplishment (making the Stanley Cup Final) from where we were at one point," forward Matthew Tkachuk said, adding, "It's all business and we've got a bigger goal in mind."
Panthers’ head coach Paul Maurice said his team overcoming the early two-goal deficit is what makes hockey great.
"That was all the elements that make our sport great," Maurice said. "They're all over us. And we’re serving up pizzas, and we don't look like we should’ve made the playoffs, and then the next thing you know we look pretty good."
The Panthers will play the winner of the Oilers and Dallas Stars series. The Oilers hold a 3-1 lead over the Dallas Stars with Game 5 coming on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET.
If the Oilers end up defeating the Stars and advancing, they have a chance to get revenge on the Panthers for last season’s Stanley Cup Final defeat.
Indianapolis Colts great and current wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne fought back tears during the team’s first media availability on Wednesday following the death of longtime owner Jim Irsay.
It was an emotional moment for Wayne, a six-time Pro Bowler and a member of the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI winning team, as he spoke about his relationship with Irsay, who passed away in his sleep last week at age 65.
"It’s like losing a family member. There were times that I felt like [Irsay] treated me like I was one of his sons even though he didn’t have any," Wayne managed a smile as he spoke to reporters.
"When you lose something like that, it definitely shocks the soul."
Irsay famously began his football career as a ball boy when his father first purchased the team in 1972 – when the Colts still played in Baltimore. He slowly moved up the ranks and became the youngest team owner at 37 when he took over for his father following his death in 1997.
"He had the biggest heart in the city. I think we all know how caring he was, how easy he was as far as giving… I think he was definitely the heart of this city," Wayne continued.
Wayne played his entire 14-year career with the Colts after being drafted out of the University of Miami with the 30th overall pick in 2001. He led the league in receiving yards in 2007, was three-time All-Pro and ranks second in franchise history for most receiving records behind Marvin Harrison. He returned to the Colts in 2022 as an assistant coach.
While reminiscing about his time with Irsay, Wayne struggled to explain the message he shared with receivers after learning about Irsay’s passing.
"I told the receivers, I said, ‘A lot of y’all don’t really know him but he would've done anything for anybody. He would've gave the clothes off his back," he said tearfully.
"He cared about his players. He cared about his team. He cared about the city. And it wasn’t just the players, he cared about the people in the building. He was that dude. And I told them, I said straight up ‘Man, y’all don’t really know him but y'all got to push your ass for him. Because he would've done that for y'all. So, that's what I told them. I said, 'Y'all got homework to do, man. Read about him. Learn about him. So that you really know the type of person he was.'"
Irsay battled health and addiction issues in his life. Despite his struggles, he restored glory to the franchise and left an everlasting impact on the organization.
Golf balls are going further than ever before, resulting in the pros man-handling some of the world's best courses.
Players are stronger and faster, as is the technology - and Jake Knapp, whose swing might be the smoothest since Fred Couples, is near the top of the driving distance list.
Knapp ranks 31st in average driving distance, averaging 298.9 yards. In 666 drives this season, his golf balls have traveled over 113 miles.
Knapp used that money driver, buttery swing and a hot putter to join the 59 Club earlier this year at the Cognizant Classic.
However, because it is easier to make the ball go farther, rather than lengthening courses, the USGA has decided to begin rolling back technology in the ball in an effort to preserve the nature of the game.
It is safe to say the 31-year-old is "not really a fan of the rollback stuff."
"I think if we were going to change golf in any way, I think you could do a lot of different things that don't change a player's deal in depth perception and things like that. I've been playing with basically a golf ball that goes probably about the same distance ever since I was a kid. So it's like, you have all this feel developed over time, and then if you were to change it to go shorter. I mean, there's also things you can do in your equipment to make up for most of that anyway, so I don't think it's going to be as big of a deal as they think," Knapp said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
Knapp is doubling down on that stance after collaborating with both PXG and Pennzoil to give away a brand-new driver.
From May 29 to June 25, consumers who purchase a Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic bundle at a participating Advance Auto Parts or Carquest retail location, in-store or online, can enter to win a limited-edition Pennzoil PXG driver.
"I think having two companies are both just kind of at the top end of the spectrum in each of their crafts. When the opportunity came about, it just seemed like a no-brainer for me, and then when I heard about it, I thought it was something that I really wanted to be a part of," Knapp said of the partnership.
If given the choice, Knapp would rather roll back the technology, rather than the ball itself.
"I think if, personally, if there was a way that they were going to change it that I think could make it more difficult or kind of get what they want out of it, they could just make more regulations on clubs for professionals or Tour events and things like that, where they're maybe harder to hit, they're smaller, not as forgiving," he said. "There's things like that that I think would be better than rolling back the ball in my personal opinion."
However, the Pennzoil PXG driver is not rolled back one bit.
"It's one of the fastest drivers on the market right now. And then, not to mention, you know, the forgiveness on it is really second to none. You have a lot of weight in the back, nice big face that sets up square, gives you high ball speed, low spin, and hitting more fairways."
A Baylor University football player died early Wednesday morning after police say he was found in a car suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in his Mississippi hometown, which local officials say has seen a recent surge in violent crime.
Alex Foster, an 18-year-old defensive lineman, was later identified as the victim of an early morning shooting in Greenville.
"We are heartbroken by the unexpected loss of Alex Foster, a beloved teammate, friend and a cherished part of the Baylor Family," Vice President and Director of Athletics Mack B. Rhoades, IV and head football coach Dave Aranda said in a joint statement released by the school.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Alex's family and all those who loved him. In this time of deep sorrow, we draw strength from our faith and the unwavering love of the Baylor community. Our immediate focus is on supporting Alex's family and his teammates through this devastating loss. Alex's memory will forever be a part of Baylor University."
Greenville Police spokeswoman Major Misty Mew told The Associated Press that officers responded to reports of a shooting in a residential/commercial area of the city shortly after midnight. Once on the scene, they located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside a car. Mew did not name Foster as the victim, but the Washington County Coroner’s Office later confirmed his identity to the outlet.
Foster was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Aranda later released a separate statement on X, saying that the Baylor community has been left "devastated" by Foster’s passing.
"Alex was a beloved member of our Baylor Family, and we are devastated by this loss. In his time at Baylor he made a long-lasting impact on all of us in the program. Our hearts are broken, and our prayers are with his family, friends and all those who loved him so deeply."
In response to the shooting death, Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons spoke out about the recent "surge" of crimes impacting the community.
"Over the past several weeks, our community has been deeply shaken by a surge in violent crimes, including multiple shootings, a surge in violent crimes, acts of gun violence and senseless killings," he said in a brief video address. Simmons added that after a vote on Wednesday, the city will be implementing a curfew effective immediately from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily "until further notice."
"It’s to protect the lives and well-being of every Greenville resident."
Foster joined Baylor in 2024 as one of Mississippi’s top-20 prospects and the 69th-ranked defensive lineman in the nation. He did not see any action last season after he redshirted his freshman year.
EXCLUSIVE: PitchCom was introduced to MLB at the beginning of the 2022 season, and the communication system has quickly become prominent in the baseball world, overhauling pitcher-catcher communication.
Perfect Game, a youth baseball company that promotes baseball by hosting high-quality amateur events and providing exposure for players to play at higher levels, is the first organization of its kind to partner with PitchCom, Fox News Digital exclusively learned Thursday.
PitchCom emerged after the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal during their World Series run in 2017 rocked the baseball world.
John Hankins, co-investor and co-owner of PitchCom, saw that MLB had a need for a communication device that could prevent sign stealing. The challenge was the device couldn’t be vocal, and MLB officials didn’t want players to wear a communication device on their bodies.
Hankins came up with PitchCom, which allows a catcher to press a button on a transmitter to call pitches. The transmitter sends prerecorded audio clips to the receivers, who in turn will hear the pitch call and defensive signals.
The pitcher and fielders wear the receiver in their hats and can hear what the catcher inputs, allowing for clear and secure communication safe from being stolen, unlike traditional catcher signs.
When Major League Baseball first heard of it, it loved the idea.
"(We had) a meeting before a playoff game. The immediate response was this solves all of our problems," Hankins told Fox News Digital.
"That was nice, and we left the meeting feeling pretty good. But, within about an hour, we got another phone call that said, 'Can you meet with 20 of our executives on Zoom tomorrow. That was a positive sign."
After that meeting, Major League Baseball became PitchCom’s first client.
Jered Goodwin, the vice president of scouting operations at Perfect Game, trains with MLB players during the offseason. Goodwin told Fox News Digital the players had "a ton of positive feedback" about PitchCom.
"I can tell you from a guy that gets to coach some pitchers during the offseason, they love being on a level playing field," Goodwin said.
"They’re throwing a pitch without anybody on the field being able to know what’s coming (prior to PitchCom), and there’s been open conversations about that. There hasn’t been a lot of negative feedback. You get some transmitters you got to replace, but it takes a really short amount of time. And I think really everybody in baseball, players to owners and especially fans, have loved the pace of play and the shorter games."
"Obviously, some other rules were put into effect as well, but the direct communication in the short amount of time it takes has definitely been a ton of positive feedback."
Goodwin said he first thought of trying to bring PitchCom to Perfect Game when MLB began using it. He called it an "easy decision" to bring PitchCom into youth baseball and to form a partnership.
"I knew very early on that this was going to be something that was going to stick, so as it’s grown into major college baseball, to MLB, it’s great that we got to have a direct path for our players and our coaches to be able to learn operationally, intensely during a game. Anything like that of what they are going to use directly at the next level. So, it really was on the agenda as soon as it could be scaled," Goodwin said.
Jon Updike, vice president of customer relations at PitchCom, said the device offers youth players benefits beyond just pitcher-catcher communication.
"It’s just not calling the pitches," Updike said. "It’s the ability to send in maybe technical cues, but even more so than that, ‘Hey, great job’ or ‘You’re going to get them next time.’
"You are able to send in some psychological messages to them as well that will help either uplift them or snap them into place, which is a lot easier when it’s being whispered to an 8-year-old or a 12-year-old or 14-year-old’s ear than being yelled across the field."
Goodwin said the introduction of PitchCom into Perfect Game will allow for more development among kids.
"Being able to talk through, especially with direct communication, being able to talk directly about why you called a pitch, how you were calling a pitch, being able to go over what those different reasons were, because you’ve got just an extra second to be able to do it. When you can speed up the game but also slow down the process, some real development of the ‘why?’ can happen," Goodwin said.
"I think you are going to see some things come out directly related to PitchCom helping with development. Whether it’s pitch calling, whether it’s the speed of the game, whether it’s location that (is) really going to help the youth be able to understand how they are trying to attack, why they are trying to attack, why this in that situation or that pitch in this situation and that’s one of the things that nobody is really dove into yet.
"But at Perfect Game we are constantly trying to find different ways to develop, and I think this is going to be a real asset to young ballplayers."
Not only does Goodwin believe PitchCom will help players’ development. It should also change the way coaches teach and communicate in games.
"It speeds up the time, but it also slows down what’s going on. Reaffirm some of the things that you might have gone over in practice. So, I think it’s such a huge advantage when these young athletes are going to be able to have that sense of pace, but also a sense of communication and development at a younger age," Goodwin said.
Updike said the introduction of PitchCom at the youth baseball level will make for cleaner games because of the enhanced communication the device allows.
"I see it has an opportunity to reduce pitches, which will directly, in turn, have a chance of reducing over usage and injury," Updike said. "Just from having better information or paying attention to it. And then, on top of that, it makes it a cleaner baseball game. Less wild pitches, less cross-ups and more quality executed pitches."
The voice that comes through the transmitter is an AI-generated voice, but Updike said the voice can be "anybody’s voice."
"It’s a simple, easy, clean process. And then what we found is that some of our colleges and some of our major league clubs would run the tracks through an AI voice generator to create something else. Whether it was a star or a famous voice and then put it on, sometimes even recording other players, it’s kind of like your limitation is your imagination with it," Updike said.
Updike said he heard one pitcher in college baseball customize the voice to be his favorite musician.
"I won’t give up the secret sauce for a few clubs, but like we have a college, a really good NCAA team, their Friday night guy is a real good pitcher, and he’s got a musician that he loves, or a rapper, and it’s that rappers' voice every time they call a pitch. So, it’s unique to see how creative everybody’s been with the product," Updike said.
Goodwin said he heard a story about how a coach programmed the voice to be a player’s mother’s voice, and that it provided good results for the player.
"The guy had a really close relationship with his mom, and the coaches wanted to see if that in turn would kind of be a calming presence. So I thought that was pretty cool, pretty interesting. Obviously, a lot going on with sports psychology now and things like that. So, I think there are a lot of things that you can do here even from voice recognition to maybe help kids, and maybe not," Goodwin said.
"I do know that in the early stages of this the kid actually did very well when it happened."
The PitchCom's will be given out to Perfect Game in August, and coaches and players will be able to use them for the All-American Classic and PG Select Festivals.
