Round two of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 began on Sunday with two Elite Group B sides in early trouble, and each was pulled back into its match by a batter who stayed at the crease.
Karnataka were struggling against Saurashtra at the Alur ground in Bengaluru, while Punjab were reduced to 69 for 3 against Chhattisgarh in New Chandigarh. Manvanth ******* ar delivered the bigger surprise.
The 22-year-old left-hander was playing only his second first-class match, yet he walked in with Karnataka eight down and hit 135 from number nine. Uday Saharan, the Punjab captain, was steadier but just as important, as he finished the first day unbeaten on 106.
Both matches are scheduled to run until Tuesday, October 21, and both innings have already changed the shape of the games. Karnataka were bowled out for 342 on the second day, while Punjab ended the first day on 269 for 4, a long way from where they stood early on.
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#first #early #match

LONDON (AP) — Sarina Wiegman has signed a contract extension to stay as head coach of the England's women team through the 2029 European Championship, the FA said on Monday.
The Dutch coach, who will turn 57 later this month, led the Lionesses to a second straight Euros ****** le last year, having also steered the team to the World Cup final in 2023.
"I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football," she said. "Of course, anyone who knows me will understand that my main concern right now is absolutely the World Cup, and helping this squad realize their potential in the years to come."
Wiegman's previous deal was due to expire after the 2027 women's World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Brazil next June. England will qualify for the tournament if it defeats Ukraine in a two-leg playoff, with the return game at Wembley Stadium on Dec. 5.
Wiegman, who was appointed as England coach in 2021, has reached five successive major tournament finals, having already claimed the European crown with the Netherlands in 2017.

#wiegman #european #tournament #london

If you don't remember, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was a Notre Dame recruiting target as a high schooler, even earning an offer and taking visits to South Bend.
The Irish influence was in his blood with his grandfather being a huge fan. However, Bachmeier initially committed to follow one of his brothers, Tiger, to Stanford, but after a coaching change both decided that BYU was where they wanted to be.
As we all know, during recruiting, Notre Dame isn't the place for everyone, and for Bachmeier, it was a bad experience. Following the game on Saturday he's explain that the Irish disrespected him and his family during the process as shared by John Brice. Bachmeier said "I wasn't going to lose to those guys," as it looked like this game was personal for him.
It's hard to say exactly what happened without more information, but whatever it was, it soured Bachmeier's relationship with Notre Dame and the staff.
Strong quote here from BYUfootball QB Bear Bachmeirer on beating NDFootball: “I don’t like talking about myself but Notre Dame disrespected me & my family pretty badly (in 2023). There was no way I was losing to those guys.” usatodaysports pic.twitter.com/K4Pm8NWlVX

#dame #game #disrespected #family

England women's head coach Sarina Wiegman has signed a two-year contract extension taking her through until the end of the 2029 women's European Championship, the Football **** ociation announced Monday.
Wiegman has led England to tournament triumphs at both the 2022 and 2025 Euros, as well as a first World Cup final in 2023, since taking charge in September 2021.
The 56-year-old Dutchwoman has reached five successive major tournament finals, also winning Euro 2017 with her native Netherlands.
"I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football," Wiegman said Monday.
England, beaten by Spain in the 2023 World Cup final in Australia, will face Ukraine over a two-legged play-off in November and December for a place in next year's tournament in Brazil.

#england #year #taking #sarina

England manager Sarina Wiegman has signed a two-year contract extension with the Lionesses.
The 56-year-old's previous deal was due to expire after next summer's World Cup, but her new contract will run until the end of Euro 2029.
Dutchwoman Wiegman guided England to their second straight European Championship ****** le with victory over Spain in the Euro 2025 final.
The victory meant the Lionesses became the first England team - women's or men's - to win a major trophy on foreign soil.
"I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football," said Wiegman.

#england #year

The Ballon d'Or may be heading to Germany, with Harry Kane back as the favourite to lift the trophy on betting sites.
After scoring 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country, including six goals for England at the World Cup, Kane has been reinstalled as the favourite to clinch world football's top individual honour.
The race previously shifted in favour of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, with the teenager going odds-on with the bookies after he played his part in Spain becoming the world champions for only the second time.
But ahead of the glittering ceremony on October 26, the England skipper could be about to add even more honours to his already impressive CV.
Were Kane to win the Ballon d'Or, he'd be only the fifth Englishman to clinch the prize and the first since Michael Owen in 2001. He was installed as the early frontrunner by football betting sites after a storming 2025/26 campaign.

#favourite

Sunday's 18-16 home loss to the Cardinals dropped the Rams to 2-4 and continued a start that has many people scratching their heads given how high the hopes were for the team heading into the season.
Everyone ******* ociated with the team is fielding questions about why things have gone so poorly, including running back Kyren Williams. Williams was asked about why he thinks the offense has been inconsistent from drive to drive over the first six weeks and he pointed to his role in his answer.
"I can't tell you, bro," Williams said, via Adam Grosbard of the Orange County Register. "Probably because I'm not out there."
Williams played 70 percent of the snaps in the first five games and he outsnapped Blake Corum 42-16 on Sunday while fielding 13 touches to 11 for Corum. Williams' workload is in line with last season, but down from its peak in 2024 and he's seeing fewer carries than at any point since he became a starter. He was asked if he'd like to see that change in the coming weeks.
"I can't really call that. It's not on me," Williams said. "But I just think no matter what, we gotta continue to have the energy. You gotta continue to, when plays are made, be excited, be happy so we uplift not only the offense but the defense and the special teams and just being able to have that camaraderie to where we're playing off of each other and I think that's what is going to allow us to be where we want to be."

#williams #team

CLEVELAND — A lack of offense put the Guardians' backs firmly against the wall against the Chicago White Sox in an American League Division Series before Jose Ramirez came to the rescue in three consecutive games.
Now in the AL Championship Series, an all-too-familiar — and all-too-unwelcome — lack of timely hitting has every ounce of the Guardians' weight again on their heels, with nowhere else to go but forward or home.
The Guardians lost 3-1 to the Rays in Game 5 of the ALCS, giving Tampa Bay a 3-2 series lead and putting the Rays on the brink of a World Series berth. Trailing in the series for the first time, the Guardians travel to Tampa Bay (without the benefit of an off day to regroup after Game 4 was pushed back) for must-win Games 6 and 7.
They had to win three consecutive games to get to the ALCS. Now, they must again defy the odds and rally to win two connective road games to play the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series.
"I think it'll help a ton knowing we're able to do it, facing elimination," said outfielder Steven Kwan, who made two highlight reel defensive plays in Game 5 to save at least two runs. "I think we feel a little better on this one as opposed to the [ALDS] since we've got some wins under our belt.

#series #games #alcs

NEW YORK – Another forensic dive into a disappointing Yankees finish is underway, discussing method and gathering intel on how to make a better run at the Canyon of Heroes in 2027.
That storied stretch of lower Broadway hasn't seen a parade of Yankees in 17 years.
Nearly two weeks since his team was swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Division Series, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has yet to publicly address how it ended or hint at the strategy ahead.
These are among the biggest questions revolving around Yankees Universe as the World Series begins elsewhere later this week:
Cashman's contract expires at year's end, while manager Aaron Boone's deal runs through the 2027 season.

#york #heroes #nearly

Good morning! Our bylines are going to be a bit different this week, as most of the newsletter team will be together in New York. Happy Monday:
📆 There's a lot happening today
😵‍💫 Are the Rams bad?
⏱️ Rays inch closer to WS
We don't have to have the October conversation again, but today is one of those days where the schedule trumps all. Starting this afternoon, the following games will occur:

#today #rays #october #morning

SAN FRANCISCO — The Atlanta Dream had a seven-point lead with 8:49 to play in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. They proceeded to score 6 points the remainder of the way, falling behind 1-0 in the best-of-seven series that resumes Monday night at Golden State.
The Dream boast three all-defense selections, headlined by Angel Reese, this season's Defensive Player of the Year. Despite coach Karl Smesko's postgame lamentations about their defensive breakdowns during the second quarter when the Valkyries scored 28 points, Atlanta was more than good enough defensively to steal homecourt in the finals. In order to head back home tied in the series, the Dream have to score the ball better. That starts with Reese.
Atlanta built an 8-point lead in the first quarter with Reese scoring 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field. She ended the game with 14 points and didn't make another field goal, attempting only two shots in the second half.
"In the second half, in particular, we didn't move the ball well enough," Smesko said. "We did a little bit too much one-on-one instead of getting into actions. Angel had a great first half. We didn't get her the ball enough."
Movement and pace are key to unlocking Reese's offensive gifts, and the Dream were too slow and stagnant in Game 1 to take advantage of those skills.

#atlanta #points #reese #ball

With less than two weeks left in the regular season for the New Jersey non-public schools (public schools end this week), it's safe to say nothing has been decided when it comes to the playoff seeds.
Remember, the non-public A and B playoffs in New Jersey are seeded by a committee, not power points/OSI magic. It's a small committee made up of representatives from across the state.
And I want to be clear about something else: This is how I think the seeding committee will do it. This isn't necessarily how I would do it. In years past, the committee has strongly favored head-to-head outcomes, not full resumes or tradition or injuries or anything like that. Once again, there is no written criteria. It's people in a room talking football at NJSIAA Headquarters in Robbinsville.
However, this year, the committee may have no choice but to look at a lot of other factors other than head-to-head. Why? Because the head-to-head results don't make sense.
Who do you seed where with Seton Hall Prep beating St. Joe's who beat St. Peter's who beat Seton Hall Prep? And by the way, Seton Hall Prep lost to Pope John.

#schools

New York governor Kathy Hochul will today (Monday) launch an 88-person exploratory committee to report on the feasibility and challenges of a formal bid to host the Winter Olympic Games, according to people with knowledge of the announcement who spoke anonymously as they were not authorized to do so publicly.
The potential bid would see New York City and Lake Placid partner to host the 2042 edition.
Earlier this year, Gov. Hochul told The Athletic that "significant" meetings had taken place as she seeks to return the Winter Olympics to New York state for the first time since 1980, which is best remembered for the Miracle on Ice when the U.S. hockey team defeated the Soviet Union. Gov. Hochul, while announcing the committee today, will also announce a $2.5 million funding commitment to create a monument in Lake Placid in honor of the Miracle on Ice team.
The Lake Placid-New York City Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Exploratory Committee will have an eight-strong leadership group, which will include Ashley Walden, the president and CEO of the Olympic Regional Development Authority, as well as representation from the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (both Democrats), sources said. It will also include Julie Su, appointed deputy mayor for economic justice of New York City by mayor Zohran Mamdani, as well as Hope Knight, the president of Empire State Development, the New York state economic development arm.
There is a 16-member sub-committee on finance, which includes John Collins, co-owner and operating partner of the New York Islanders, and Josh Cohen, the son of New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who works as the team's vice president of business development. Randy Levine, the owner of the New York Yankees, is one of 12 members of a legal sub-committee, which also includes Robert Landau, the executive vice-president of NBC Universal, the long-time broadcaster of the Olympics in the United States.

#city

Yankees predicted to replace Jazz Chisholm with $12M two-time Silver Slugger winner, 4x All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Yankees have a big offseason ahead after getting swept by their division rival, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees wanted to make a deep postseason run, but ultimately fell short.
All eyes are now on free agents and players who could leave the team. One of those players is Jazz Chisholm Jr., but he would like to stay in New York.
"Chisholm, an All-Star for the second time in 2025, endured a down year at the plate and struggled both offensively and defensively in four appearances in the playoffs. Manager Aaron Boone left Chisholm out of the Yankees' starting lineup for two postseason games, including their season-ending loss on Wednesday. The fans at Yankee Stadium booed Chisholm after he fouled out to first base as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning. Nevertheless, Chisholm would rather continue his career with the Yankees than exit in free agency," MLB Trade Rumors wrote.
Early in Chisholm's career, he wasn't always the best player off the field. Yankees legend Derek Jeter even had to get on him when he was an owner of the Miami Marlins.

#chisholm #time #postseason

The Banana Ball Championship League will bring its 2027 World Tour to five New York locations, including Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, where the Savannah Bananas will play two games.
The organization announced the schedule for its 2027 tour on Thursday, Oct. 15, during the Banana Ball City Selection Show. The tour will span 23 Major League Baseball stadiums, 10 football stadiums and 33 minor league baseball stadiums.
Although the Savannah Bananas will make just one stop in New York, other teams in the league will play in Cooperstown, Buffalo, Rochester and Brooklyn.
"Rochester has been clamoring for the opportunity to see the outstanding Banana Ball performers, and we have worked for some time to bring them to ESL Ballpark," Rochester Red Wings President, CEO and COO Naomi Silver said. "We are excited to make this happen and know it will be a huge hit for all."
Here's what to know about the 2027 tour's New York stops, which teams will play at each venue and how to enter the ticket lottery.

#rochester #tour #savannah #bananas

According to reports in England, as relayed by SPORT, Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel could decide his future before the end of this month as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona remain interested.
Despite attempts by the Premier League giants to convince the youngster and his family to continue at the club, his determination to leave remains firm.
The 16-year-old wonderkid has not trained with any of their teams since September. Instead, he has been working by himself in Spain, awaiting resolution over his future.
Now, as per the report, Gabriel will take a final call on which his next club will be before the end of October, with Real Madrid, Barça, and Bayern Munich all waiting to pounce.
As per the report, Los Blancos are understood to have already made their first move and are prepared to make a significant financial effort to secure the teenager's services.

#gabriel #report

Joe Mazzulla declares Payton Pritchard will be key to Jayson Tatum-led Celtics' success originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
When you lose a key player in the offseason, the question remains: who fills that production hole? The Boston Celtics do not seem to worry about this conundrum at all. With Jaylen Brown gone, they have filled all the gaps by committee. Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman get to play both ends with hustle. Paul George still has that fringe NBA All-Star quality and can shoot the lights out. However, Coach Joe Mazzulla is looking at a key player. It's none other than Payton Pritchard. The Celtics head coach has all the belief in their guard and even noted specific traits that will make him helpful to the squad led by Jayson Tatum.
For a long time, a few monoliths have described Payton Pritchard. He's been seen as the Celtics' offensive spark plug, or the guy you give the ball to in the clutch. Now, he will be up for bigger roles in Coach Joe Mazzulla's system due to the Jaylen Brown trade.
There are obviously a lot of doubts about Pritchard. Much of it stems from the fact that he's an undersized guard and the running belief that he could be a defensive liability. Coach Mazzulla does not think that way at all. In fact, the Celtics head honcho outlined what made their veteran guard special. Those same traits could also make a big difference on a team centered around Jayson Tatum, according to Jay King of The Athletic.
"He just plays with a chip on his shoulder, but doesn't have an ego. And I think that's a balance that's difficult for people to be able to have. Like, if you tell him he's starting, if you tell him he's coming off the bench, if you tell him he's playing 20 (minutes), if you tell him he's playing 30, the chip on his shoulder never changes. He doesn't need the affirmation to be an elite competitor. And so I think a coach that gives you the freedom to just do what makes the most sense at that particular time," the Celtics head coach declared.

#payton #tatum #guard

Noni Madueke made the difference for ***** nal as his deflected effort helped the Gunners secure a hard fought victory over Nottingham Forest in a difficult Premier League match. The result earned ***** nal three important points as they continue their battle for the ***** le against Manchester City.
Arsenal know they cannot afford to fall six points behind City, who have started the campaign in impressive fashion. The Manchester club have performed better than many expected and could maintain their winning run, leaving the Gunners under pressure to keep pace with their rivals.
The City Ground is a difficult venue for visiting teams, with Nottingham Forest having a reputation for making life uncomfortable for their opponents. ***** nal were well aware of the challenge before kick-off, particularly after failing to score on their previous two visits to Forest.
That record offered a warning of what could happen, and the match proved challenging for Mikel Arteta's side. Forest made the contest difficult, using direct play and aerial ***** to disrupt ***** nal and prevent them from finding their rhythm.
However, the Gunners continued to search for a breakthrough and eventually found one through Madueke. His deflected shot provided the decisive moment, allowing ***** nal to leave Nottingham with all three points and avoid dropping valuable ground in the ***** le race.

#city #madueke #manchester #ground

Cricket fans get a full day to savour. Oman face Nepal at Al Amerat, South Africa and Australia begin Day 2 of their Test in Gqeberha, and Afghanistan meet Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi. We will see how it unfolds. - all of which you can follow with our partners at Dafabet.
And even better, Dafabet now have the expert take of Kevin Pietersen to take their cricket coverage to the next level after he was announced this week as their new Global Ambassador!
🌟 Delighted to announce that I’m joining the Dafabet family as their Global Brand Ambassador! 🌟 Looking forward to some exciting collaborations, exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, and plenty more to come. Stay tuned! #Dafabet #BrandAmbassador #KP https://t.co/NnsY4fupAw
We're excited to see what that partnership has in store, but in the meantime you can keep up with all the latest cricket matches and schedule below. Good luck!
Match

#ambassador

JJ Gabriel's future is moving closer to a resolution. The 16-year-old Manchester United prospect faces a decisive few days after having made it clear that he will leave the Premier League club.
Despite attempts by the Red Devils to convince the youngster and his family to stay at Old Trafford, his determination to leave remains firm.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are all monitoring developments closely, with the decision potentially triggering one of the most eye-catching moves in the youth transfer market.
According to reports in England, as relayed by SPORT, Manchester United have been unable to change the player's position.
Now, he is expected to make a decision on his next club before the end of October, with FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich lying in wait to move.

#manchester #leave #club

What game should the South Jersey Gridiron Gang cover on Friday night in Week 8?
Here's your chance to make the call!
Cast a vote for your choice.
Voting will close Thursday at noon. If the poll doesn't appear at the end of the story, please refresh your browser.
Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 40 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him by email tmcgurkusatodayco.com. Follow him on Twitter at McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.

#sports #jersey #gang #cast

J.J. McCarthy has given New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh plenty to consider after an encouraging display off the bench in their 34-27 defeat to the New Orleans Saints.
The quarterback replaced Jameis Winston in the second half and helped the Giants fight back from a 24-point deficit. Although New York fell short, McCarthy's performance could put him in contention to start their next game.
The former first-round pick completed 11 of his 21 pass attempts for 243 yards, one touchdown and one interception, offering a bright spot in a difficult afternoon for the Giants.
McCarthy also made sure to acknowledge the support he received from New York's fanbase, despite the disappointing result.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the quarterback said: "I'm just extremely honored to be a part of the New York Football Giants, because this fanbase is unbelievable.

#Giants #fanbase #john #harbaugh

Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories from the past week on court.
This week, a debut **** le that will help a player for the next year, possible changes on the ATP Tour and the indoor version of Carlos Alcaraz.
If you'd like to follow our fantastic tennis coverage, click here.
The structure of tennis means that fairy-tale runs and surprise **** le wins can come back to loom over a player down the line. For Poland's Maja Chwalińska, who reached the French Open final as a qualifier earlier this year, the latter now means that the former is off her back.
Chwalińska's 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Britain's Sonay Kartal on Sunday at the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open in China was not just her first tour **** le. It was not just a remarkable feat for a 25-year-old who had played just 10 tour-level main-draw matches before 2026. It was also insurance for her future self.

#year #player

Texas A&M took care of business in Week 7, earning its second shutout win of the season after defeating The Citadel 41-0 behind 264 rushing yards and three touchdowns from sophomore RB Jamarion Morrow. With freshman back KJ Edwards adding 116 rushing yards, the Aggie offense needs to keep a "ground and pound" approach, especially if redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed remains the starter.
On defense, Texas A&M didn't have to do much, as the Bulldogs barely attempted to throw the ball, running 47 times for 140 yards, resulting in a one-dimensional attack that didn't require defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill to scheme up pressure, just needing to stop the run and tackle in ******* e, which was accomplished.
The SEC experienced its most chaotic week in what feels like a decade-plus, as No. 1 Georgia, No. 7 Texas, and Texas A&M's next opponent, Alabama, lost at home and on the road, resulting in a seismic shift in the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.
As I stated above, Texas A&M will head to Tuscaloosa for the first time since the 2022 season to face Alabama, and after an impressive start to the year against bad defenses, sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell has passed for just 185 yards against Georgia (loss) and 147 yards and an interception during Saturday's loss at Tennessee.
Still, expectations are that the former five-star prospect will rebound at home against Texas A&M's respectable but beatable defense, especially given the Aggies' pass-rush issues. The Aggies enter the week as 15.5-point underdogs, and ESPN FPI gives Texas A&M a 16.5% chance to defeat Alabama (83.5%).

#texas #yards #week #georgia

Liverpool have developed a reputation for having one of the best academies in world football in recent years.
The club has the ability to show prospective additions a clear pathway to the first-team, and the Reds' senior squad has been littered with academy graduates in recent years.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Coaimhin Kelleher are just some of the examples of recent graduates from the Kirkby to have become important parts of the team at Anfield.
The club have adopted the strategy of recruiting some of the world's most promising youngsters to the academy, and it is clearly working.
Lewis Koumas, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha have all established themselves as important first-team squad players in the early days of Andoni Iraola's tenure at Anfield.

#first

Penn State football may need a week off as much as anyone in the country.
The Nittany Lions must attempt to retool themselves in light of their disheartening 3-4 start, including the 21-18 meltdown defeat at Michigan — their fourth straight in Big Ten action — to start the Matt Campbell era.
The Lions have lost each of their conference games after beginning Campbell's first season in State College with three decisive, non-conference victories.
Penn State will not play this weekend, their only open date of the 2026 season. Its next game will be on Halloween against the Purdue Boilermakers (2-5, 1-3 Big Ten) in Beaver Stadium.
The Lions, stunningly enough, are in the middle of a four-game Big Ten losing streak for the second straight season. Last year, they lost six straight under fired head coach James Franklin and interim leader Terry Smith before winning at Michigan State.

#straight #season #michigan #conference

Real Madrid left-back Marc Cucurella talked to the press after the team's convincing 4-1 win over Sevilla in La Liga. The Spanish defender was pleased with the effort.
"I think we played a very good game from the start. We had quite a bit of control and knew when to attack quickly and when to maintain more possession. I think we played a very solid 90 minutes," he said.
Cucurella was also very happy for Eder Militao, who made his return from injury last night.
"He's a great player with a lot of personality. He also contributes a lot to the locker room. He's a very cheerful guy, and I'm very happy to have him back. Now, we have just a few injured players, but little by little, we're getting there. The important thing is to have everyone available. It's a very long season. There are many matches, and the more players we have available, the better," he explained.
Lastly, he previewed the upcoming match against Leipzig in the Champions League.

#back #played #available #madrid

Darien celebrated three state championships in girls sports last school year: field hockey, girls ice hockey and girls lacrosse.
Adriana Gromelski was an integral part of all three as she earned GametimeCT All-State First Team honors in each sport and was named GametimeCT Female Athlete of the Year.
In all, Gromelski has been part of six state **** les during her time with the Blue Wave.
"Only one team can win it. It's a moment not everyone gets to have," Gromelski said. "I'm super grateful I've gotten to experience it multiple times."
With that in mind, the senior star decided to switch sports this fall for a new high school experience. Instead of helping Darien defend its CIAC field hockey crown, Gromelski switched to soccer. It's a sport she played from elementary school through eighth grade.

#year #team

Call us a relic, call us what you will. Say we're old-fashioned, say we're over the hill.
Whatever.
Long ago, when NLI was something and NIL was nothing, when AI only meant Allen Iverson, college programs were ranked in the preseason largely on how many quality returnees it had on the roster.
Not so much anymore. The aforementioned NIL, along with the transfer portal and ever-changing eligibility rules have created roster havoc at most programs each year. Numerous teams still don't have complete rosters just a few weeks before the start of the season. LSU barely even has a roster.
Even Shaka Smart is getting in on the act, after eschewing the portal the past five seasons at Marquette.

#programs #allen

WEST LAFAYETTE — You can call Purdue basketball's 87-55 exhibition victory over Ball State on Sunday a soft opening.
Rehearsals for the regular season continue, and roles remain up for grabs on a remade roster. The vibe around the 11 Boilermakers who shared relatively equal minutes, though, remains one of anticipation for what lies ahead.
You may need to give this new cast some time to come together. Those players – some character actors vying to become stars, some understudies stepping into the spotlight for the first time – like where this is headed.
They cannot offer the **** urance which comes with returning Final Four starters, roles chiseled in stone and championship expectations set as an afterthought. What was on display Sunday, though, was a new and different energy – one with unrealized upside.
"I feel that's what makes this team good and makes this team different, is the balance we have between all our guards and our bigs," redshirt freshman guard Antione West Jr. said. "Everybody brings something. There's no weak points or anything we lack in our guards, so it just brings a sense of balance. I think that's our identity."

#guards