The Coloradoan is again proud to present our weekly Athlete of the Week series, partnering with Blue Federal Credit Union to honor the best Fort Collins-area boys high school athletes during the 2026-27 school year.
There are five nominees each week, and fans can vote every Monday through Thursday at coloradoan.com/sports.
This is the fourth week of the voting as the fall sports season continues to heat up.
You can find the nominees and the ballot below. Voting is open this week until noon on Sept. 17, with the winner announced after the poll closes.
Return to this page to see the official winner and a video of this week's Fort Collins-area Athletes of the Week. You can see last week's winners in the video atop this page.

#coloradoan

Eintracht Frankfurt will hope to record their first Bundesliga win of the season away at Mainz. The hosts sealed a five-star win in Hamburg last week as they currently sit in fifth place in the standings.
In contrast, Adi Hütter's Frankfurt conceded seven goals in the first two weeks of the season. Both teams won the home fixtures in last season's Rhine-Main derby meetups.
Mainz: Zentner; Posch, Gruber, Potulski; Caci, Sano, Mwene; Amiri ©, Lee; Becker, Tietz
Frankfurt: Atubolu; Maluze, Koch ©, Brassier; Baum, Doan, Onyedika, Kosugi; Aseko; Uzun, Burkardt

#first #last #hamburg

Colorado high school football is back under the Friday Night Lights this week as the season starts to take shape.
Week 3 is highlighted by some regional rivalry action in Northern Colorado, including Colorado's Game of the Week with Timnath hosting Wellington.
Plus, a Loveland city rivalry renews and Windsor looks to avoid another early loss in a tough road game at Roosevelt.
Coloradoan reporter Chris Abshire will be posted up at PSD Stadium with live updates from the Cubs vs. Eagles showdown.
Follow here for live updates, scores from the Boxelder Cup battle and other Northern Colorado Week 3 action in CHSAA high school football:

#game

English club cricketer and endurance athlete Sam Bodoano has completed an extraordinary 62-mile (100km) run from Lord's Cricket Ground in London to Valley End Cricket Club in Woking, Surrey, in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the longest run-up before bowling a cricket ball.

Bodoano, 22, from Worplesdon near Guildford, Surrey, began his run at Lord's on Saturday and completed the gruelling journey around 14 hours later at Valley End Cricket Club on Sunday. His challenge culminated in him bowling the opening delivery of an 11-a-side match to his father.
To meet the requirements for the record attempt, Bodoano had to complete the entire 100km journey in full cricket whites while carrying a cricket ball. He then had to take part in a cricket match and deliver the opening ball. While Bodoano has completed the challenge and believes he has surpassed the existing mark, Guinness World Records has not yet officially recognised the achievement. The organisation's evidence review and verification process is still under way.

A Guinness World Records spokesperson said the application would need to go through the formal evidence review process before the record could be officially confirmed. The review can take around two weeks, depending on the evidence submitted.

If confirmed, Bodoano's run-up would comfortably surpass the previous men's record of 15 miles. The current holder of the record for the longest bowling run-up (male) is Tom Dunn, who ran 15 miles (24km) from Bethnal Green, in east London, to Wandsworth Common, in south London, in August 2024.
Despite the physical demands of the challenge, Bodoano completed the run for a charitable cause, raising almost £6,000 (Rs 7,64,513) for The Ruth Strauss Foundation, a cancer charity founded by former England captain Sir Andrew Strauss.

"I'm very tired, I lost a lot of sleep, but it was all for an amazing cause," Bodoano said.

An experienced endurance athlete, Bodoano has previously competed in the England Hockey Men's Premier League, completed the London Marathon and Ironman Wales, and finished third in a 112-mile backyard ultra-marathon. He also works as a running coach and content creator.

#london #completed #club #ball

The Coloradoan is again proud to present our weekly Athlete of the Week series, partnering with Blue Federal Credit Union to honor the best Fort Collins-area boys high school athletes during the 2026-27 school year.
There are five nominees every week, and fans can vote every Monday through Thursday at coloradoan.com/sports.
This is the second week of the new sports season as fall sports kick into high gear with September arriving.
You can find the nominees and the ballot below. Voting is open this week until 11:59 a.m. on Sept. 3, with the winner announced on Sept. 4.
Return to this page to see the official winner and a video of this week's Fort Collins-area Athletes of the Week. You can see last week's winners in the video atop this page.

#coloradoan

Sunderland have yet to conclude a deal to sign Igor Paixao (26) from Olympique de Marseille, and according to a report from Sacha Tavolieri, they now face competition for the Brazilian's signature.
Paixao joined OM from Feyenoord last season for a €30m fee and, just 12 months later, the Brazilian could leave. Marseille and Sunderland are in talks regarding a transfer for the forward, although there is not yet any agreement between the clubs. There are also talks between the Premier League side and Paixao's representatives. Get French Football News understands that the player's representatives were in London for talks on Thursday.
OM cannot close the door to a departure, even if Bruno Genesio is desperate to retain the player, the only recognised senior left-winger in the squad. The chances of Paixao leaving have now increased, even if Sunderland are no closer to concluding a deal. He is seen as an option for Al-Ittihad, should the Saudi side fail to wrap up a deal for Ritsu Doan.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle

#paixao #deal #talks #even

Ritsu Doan looks likely to leave Eintracht Frankfurt before the transfer window closes.
According to Sky Germany, the 28-year-old ******* an international has agreed personal terms with Al Ittihad, who are offering him an annual salary of €9 million.
Eintracht Frankfurt and the Saudi Arabian side are now in talks over a transfer fee, with an €18 million offer reportedly on the table.
Doan was left out of Eintracht's squad for Saturday's 3-3 draw with 1. FC Union Berlin due to muscular problems.
The winger joined Eintracht from Freiburg for a reported €21 million fee in the summer of 2025.

#eintracht #doan

Fort Collins has a plethora of football talent, but only one player is the Coloradoan's 2026 preseason Player of the Year after winning the Blue Federal Credit Union fans' vote.
Fossil Ridge fans showed out, pushing second-year starting QB Colton Jantz above the rest in the Coloradoan's preseason football fan polling.
Congratulations to Colton and thank you to fans across the area for voting!
The SaberCat quarterback had 58% of the vote, more than 26% ahead of the runner-up.
Here are the next highest vote-getters in the fan poll:

#vote #colton #player #fort

Looking to gear up in Adidas swag?
Colorado State officially announced Aug. 4 a switch in apparel provider from Under Armour to Adidas.
It was a hurried change that took place over a matter of months, rather than the course of roughly a year as is usually the case in a move like this.
Given the quick turn, CSU athletic director John Weber told the Coloradoan "our public Adidas merchandise will be a bit limited" to begin, with more inventory rolling out in the coming months.
But there is Adidas gear to be found. Where? The Coloradoan checked it out and here's what we found.

#months #Colorado

Eintracht Frankfurt have officially announced the signing of Raphael Onyedika from Belgian champions Club Brugge, with the Nigerian international becoming the club's new midfield anchor ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
The 25-year-old has signed a long-term contract after Frankfurt reached an agreement with Brugge following weeks of negotiations. According to reports, the transfer package is worth up to €21 million, making Onyedika one of the club's biggest signings in club history: he is as expensive as Jonathan Burkardt and Ritsu Doan and is therefore sharing rank 4 in Frankfurt's most expensive signings with them.
Frankfurt had identified Onyedika as their top target for the defensive midfield role thanks to his physical presence, ball-winning ability, and extensive Champions League experience. The Nigerian made 183 appearances for Club Brugge, winning two Belgian league ******* les as well as the Belgian Cup and Super Cup during his four-year spell in Belgium.
The Eagles beat competition from several clubs, including teams from Saudi Arabia, to secure Onyedika's signature. His arrival is expected to give head coach Adi Hütter a commanding presence in midfield as Frankfurt aim to return to European competition after missing out last season.

#onyedika #club #midfield #year

It's a special edition of the Coloradoan's Athlete of the Week series, partnering with Blue Federal Credit Union to honor our top local sports stars.
This week's version isn't about current athletes, but former local stars who could have a noticeable impact on the gridiron this fall.
Which Fort Collins-area product will have the biggest impact on a college football team for the 2026 season? There are many great options, from the Division I FBS level to FCS and even Division II.
You can find the poll at the bottom of the page.
Voting runs through Aug. 4 at 11:59 a.m., with the winner announced at coloradoan.com/sports soon after the poll's conclusion.

#local #sports #week #credit

It's a special edition of the Coloradoan's Athlete of the Week series, partnering with Blue Federal Credit Union to honor our top local sports stars.
This week's version isn't about the athletes so much as the schools they represent.
What is the best mascot among our Fort Collins-area schools? While there is some nickname overlap between a few schools, each school has a distinct branding, including a couple names unique to Fort Collins schools.
So, use your vote for your favorite local mascot! Maybe it's your alma mater. Perhaps your kid attends school there. Or maybe you just think a Lambkin (or a SaberCat, or an Impala, or a Firebird, etc.) is just a really unique, interesting mascot.
You can find the poll at the bottom of the page.

#maybe #school

From a Lobos great to a burgeoning Buffs star.
That's the path for our top women's college athlete from the Fort Collins area during the 2025-26 school year, as voted on by fans in the Coloradoan and Blue Federal Credit Union Summer Series poll.
Colorado soccer player and former Rocky Mountain standout Jace Holley took top honors after a sensational collegiate season on the pitch.
Holley was a first team All-Big 12 selection as a versatile forward for a strong CU squad.
The sophomore scored 12 goals, tied for third in the Big 12 during the fall 2025 campaign. She also added six ***** ists for 30 total points on the season, tied for fifth in CU women's soccer history in a single season.

The Coloradoan is proud to present our weekly Athlete of the Week series, partnering with Blue Federal Credit Union to honor the best Fort Collins-area high school athletes.
And it's another special edition of our weekly series. This time, it's the coaches' turn.
Who was the best coach for a local high school boys team during the 2025-26 school year? You tell us.
There were plenty of great options here, as these Fort Collins-area coaches spurred special seasons and high-end achievements in boys sports.
You can find the ballot at the bottom of the page. Voting is open until 11:59 p.m. on July 5, with the winner announced July 6 at coloradoan.com/sports.

Colorado State acts like a program that's supposed to win.

But it hasn't, with seven losing seasons in the last eight years. Jim Mora should be the head coach who turns this whole thing around.

- 2026 Colorado State Schedule **** ysis
© Logan Newell/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Steve Addazio was a steady winner at Boston College, but he only went 4-12 in his two seasons in Fort Collins.

The program took Jay Norvell away from Nevada, and after a few years of building things back up, last year turned into a hard thud.
There's no reason Colorado State can't be a factor in the Pac-12. It has a great fan base, it does a good job in the portal, and the will is there to be a winner.

Now it's up to Mora to make that happen.
Head Coach: Jim Mora (1st year, 11th year overall, 73-53)

Having played out a 1-1 draw in Dallas this evening, both ***** an and Sweden have secured their passage to the Round of 32. The former side, who clinched second place in Group F, will take on Brazil while the Swedes face Morocco. Elsewhere, the Netherlands took top spot.
Both sides adopted a cautious approach to the game's opening stages, fully aware of what was at stake. Little materialized in front of goal aside from a rather tame strike from Holstein Kiel's Alex Bernhardsson and Dazien Maeda who narrowly headed past the post.
Interestingly, both nations were forced into first-half changes as Sweden's Isaac Hien limped off for Lucas Bergvall, while ***** an gave ex-Gladbach man Ko Itakura the hook for Taniguchi. Bremen loanee Suguwara and Nakamura both tested Zetterström before the break.
Japan continued where they left off before the break, keeping the pressure on their European opponents. The breakthrough on 56 minutes arrived when Frankfurt's Ritsu Dōan played a delightful one-two before threading a ball into Maeda who finished with ruthless conviction.
Despite offering little all evening, Sweden put themselves back on level terms eight minutes later. Anthony Elanga's effort from the right appear to catch Zion Suzuki out and nestle inside the left post. The ***** anese shot stopper made amends a minute later to deny Isak.

The Coloradoan is proud to present our weekly Athlete of the Week series, partnering with Blue Federal Credit Union to honor the best Fort Collins-area high school athletes.
And it's a special edition of our weekly series. This time, it's the coaches' turn.
Who was the best coach for a local high school girls team during the 2025-26 school year? You tell us.
There were plenty of great options here, as these Fort Collins-area coaches spurred some special seasons and achievements in girls sports.
You can find the ballot at the bottom of the page. Voting is open until 11:59 a.m. on June 29, with the winner announced June 30 at coloradoan.com/sports.

Who is Colorado State football's top all-time recruit?
How many of CSU's top-25 recruits actually made big on-field impacts? How many are Jim Mora recruits before he's coached his first game as a Ram?
The Coloradoan's annual look at CSU's top 25 all-time football recruits is fascinating. Perhaps most notable for the 2026 edition is the Mora impact.
Seven of the top 25 either signed under Mora in the 2026 class or are committed to the Rams as part of the 2027 class.
Recruiting rankings really began in the early 2000s, so this isn’t a true all-time list. Recruiting has changed drastically, and some of CSU’s all-time great recruits came before the era of rankings.

Japan and the Netherlands will kick off their World Cup campaign in Texas on Sunday night. There are seven Bundesliga-based players in Hajime Moriyasu’s squad, with FC Bayern’s Hiroki Itō, Eintracht Frankfurt's Ritsu Dōan and Mainz’s Kaishū Sano making the starting lineup.
From the starting XI of the Samurai Blue, Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt) also had previous Bundesliga experience. With Wataru Endo's international retirement and former Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Kō Itakura on the bench, Dōan will captain ***** an.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s Mark Flekken is the substitute goalkeeper for the Netherlands. From the eight players with previous Bundesliga experiences, Micky van de Ven (Wolfsburg), Ryan Gravenberch (FC Bayern) and Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund) are in Ronald Koeman’s XI.
Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, van Hecke, van Dijk ©, van de Ven; Gravenberch, de Jong, Reijnders; Summerville, Malen, Gakpo
Japan: Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, Itō; Dōan ©, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; Maeda, Kubo; Ueda

Josie Doan/PitchBook News
Last month, the UK government issued a policy paper warning that should focus the minds of every PE investor in technology.
The document, **** led Energy Sector Cyber Security Strategy, was direct: “The cyber threat has increasingly focused on critical national infrastructure systems, as hacktivist groups and high capability state actors strive to compromise these systems for political effect and propaganda victories.”
In Europe, PE investors are already targeting cybersecurity investments focused specifically on AI-driven threats to critical infrastructure and defense.
Eurazeo is one such investor that has made notable deals in the sector. Last month, the Paris-based firm invested in Nextron Systems, a Frankfurt-based cybersecurity group focused on threat intelligence and cyber forensics, offering software products designed to deal with advanced persistent cyber threats. The company gets 60% of its revenue from critical infrastructure, public sector and defense clients.