After years of almost entirely focusing on the transfer portal, Rick Pitino is intensifying his efforts on the high school recruiting trail, and another class of 2027 prospect is landing on the Red Storm's radar.
Four-star Canadian recruit Godson Okokoh is reportedly scheduling a visit to St. John's on November 6 and 7, according to LeagueReady's Sam Kayser. It is unclear whether Okokoh will attend the Red Storm's matchup against Iona at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, November 8.
The 6-foot-8 forward from Ottawa is the 111th-ranked prospect in his class according to 247Sports' composite rankings and will compete in this year's Overtime Elite season with Bella Vista Prep, who will play as the City Reapers in the league. He flashed his rim protection and inside scoring in the Nike EYBL Scholastic division and the Under Armour Circuit last season, and also made a strong impression at this summer's NBPA Top 100 camp.
Okokoh made only one other visit this year at West Virginia on October 6. His offers include Kansas, Ohio State, USC, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Creighton, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, and Arizona State.
Earlier this year, Okokoh helped Canada pull off a shocking upset over the United States to win its first-ever FIBA U18 AmeriCup gold medal. He averaged 9.0 points and 5.4 rebounds over five games and recorded a team-high eight boards in the championship final.

#high #according #made

Fennville Public Schools has hired Derrick DeVries as Director of Athletics and Community Recreation.
DeVries takes over for Tony Stennett, who stepped down from the position.
DeVries was a star basketball player at Calvin University and was recently ******* ociate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the Knights the past four years.
"He is a graduate of Calvin University and comes to us with a wealth of experience in coaching and managing teams and athletes, athletic operations including logistical planning of camps and tournaments, athlete development, and has served as the director of youth and team camps," Fennville Public Schools said in a statement.
More: Tony Stennett steps down as Fennville Director of Athletics and Recreation

#director #tony #stennett

We're getting closer and closer to the college basketball season! Next up in our countdown is Ben McCollum's wife's favorite player: Peyton McCollum!
#5 – Peyton McCollum, G, 6'2" 190 lbs
2nd year; Maryville, MO; Waukee Northwest
2025-26: Injury redshirt
McCollum was one of four freshman to join Ben McCollum's first high school recruiting class, alongside Trevin Jirak, Tate Sage, and Trey Thompson. He is, of course, the son of head coach Ben McCollum.
McCollum was scored over 1000 points during his time in Maryville before he followed his father to the Des Moines area when he took the drake job. In his senior season for Waukee Northwest, he averaged 13 points and 5 ****** ists on a team which fell to Jirak's Valley squad in the state final.

#closer

Oct. 29—As the NCAA battles roster churn unseen in Division I, junior colleges across the country are accustomed to turnover.
That forces coaches to quickly implement their culture while force-feeding their program's message to players.
For Spokane men's basketball, that means recruiting the right players who don't need much molding.
"They figure out real quick how we do things and how things are run and set up," head coach Jeremy Groth said. "We set that tone and everyone definitely understands right away what it's all about."
Last season, Spokane missed the NWAC Tournament for the first time in 10 years and for the second time under Groth. The previous time Spokane responded with a Northwest Athletic Conference **** le.

#spokane #time #right #things

When left tackle Trevor Goosby went down with a torn patella tendon in the first quarter of last Saturday's win over the Ole Miss Rebels, the Texas Longhorns moved into a future without their All-American protecting the blind side of quarterback Arch Manning.
Taking over for Goosby? Another senior in 6'6, 339-pound Andre Cojoe, who was competing for the starting right tackle job in preseason camp last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Entering the game, Cojoe had only played 56 career snaps for the Longhorns after arriving as an early enrollee in the 2022 recruiting class just before he turned 17. Ranked outside the top 100 prospects in Texas, Cojoe didn't face high expectations when he got to the Forty Acres, but the athleticism he possessed at his size made him an intriguing long-term developmental prospect.
Now Cojoe has had the time to develop and the left tackle position will be his for the remainder of the season unless head coach Steve Sarkisian and offensive line coach Kyle Flood make the unexpected decision to flip Cojoe to the right side and move senior Melvin Siani back to the left tackle position he occupied last season at Wake Forest.
But that move sacrifices the offensive line's continuity the staff was able to maintain when Goosby missed multiple weeks of practice while recovering from a bone bruise in his knee sustained during preseason camp.

#last #longhorns #senior

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

Texas A&M's 2026 season woes have made the Aggies somewhat unwatchable this fall, coming off last Saturday's 27-6 road loss to Missouri, while starting quarterback Marcel Reed's surprising regression under first-year OC Holmon Wiggins and a shaky offensive line have resulted in the Aggies not scoring a touchdown against Missouri and LSU.
In today's college football landscape of immediate gratification, bad seasons simply aren't allowed anymore, as third-year coach Mike Elko has come under intense scrutiny from the fan base after leading the Aggies to their first College Football Playoff appearance last season.
Still, Elko's ability to recruit and land elite high school talent has built the No. 1-ranked 2027 recruiting class, which includes a nation-high six five-star commits, including the top-ranked offensive lineman Mark Matthews and elite safety duo Kamarui Dorsey and JayQuan Snell.
While four-star linebacker commit Aston Whiteside is visiting Miami this weekend, the rest of A&M's 2027 cycle has stayed intact, and according to 247Sports (subscription required) insider Zach Blostein, Elko and his staff are looking to continue their recruiting dominance in the Sunshine State, as former 2027 four-star CB Loia Valade reclassified to the 2026 class and is currently on the roster.
Texas A&M reportedly fielded offers to Florida-based three-star cornerback Daveon Belhomme and three-star safety and UConn commit Alan Blackshere, looking to add more future depth alongside Kamarui Dorsey, JayQuan Snell, and five-star cornerback Raylaun Henry.

#star #texas #elko #kamarui

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

This story was originally published on Healthcare Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Healthcare Dive newsletter.
Nearly three-quarters of Gen Z healthcare workers intend to find a new role in the next year, according to a new poll of more than 1,500 U.S. healthcare employees.
The survey, commissioned by the Harris Poll found that less than half of Gen Z healthcare workers feel very loyal to their current employer, in part because professional development and career advancement feel out of reach.
At the same time, three-quarters of employers said retaining and recruiting this age group is important as they anticipate older healthcare workers entering retirement soon.
The poll comes as the healthcare industry is facing workforce shortages, with a projected scarcity of around 500,000 healthcare workers predicted by 2038. Currently, healthcare professionals, especially physicians and nurses, are mostly over the age of 50, opening the door for younger workers to fill the gap.

#healthcare #feel

The Gophers were blown out at home by Mississippi State 38-13 in Week 2, and the game didn't even feel that close. Was it a difference in talent? Coaching? Let's play the blame game and figure out what went wrong for Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday's result was completely different than Minnesota's blowout losses at Oregon or Ohio State last season. Mississippi State has been near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) over the last two seasons. Its preseason win total was set at over/under 4.5 wins, and the Gophers were favored to win Saturday's game, according to some sportsbooks. So what happened?
Recruiting site 247Sports makes a "Team Talent Composite" every season, which gives us a data point to use when comparing talent. Mississippi State is ranked 20th in the country with 26 four-star players on its roster. Minnesota is ranked 36th with 15 four-star players on its roster, according to the site.
If talent dictated results on the field, the Gophers shouldn't have lost 41-3 at Iowa last season, as they ranked one spot higher than the Hawkeyes on last year's team talent composite. Minnesota beat teams like Wisconsin and Nebraska last season, which ranked higher on the list.
The Gophers have two legit NFL Draft prospects in the trenches with Greg Johnson and Anthony Smith, an NFL-hopeful QB with Drake Lindsey, and plenty more talented playmakers across the field. 247Sports' points system gives Mississippi State's 2026 roster 798.6 compared to Minnesota at 745.8. Is that big enough of a difference for a 25-point loss at home?

#gophers

Former Florida State forward Alex Steen suffered a setback in his effort to secure another season of college basketball eligibility, according to Chris Nee of Noles247. Leon County Circuit Court Judge David M. Frank denied Steen's verified emergency motion for a temporary and preliminary injunction on Friday, Sept. 11. Steen is suing the NCAA in an effort to obtain a fifth season of eligibility for the 2026-27 season.
Steen and attorneys representing both sides appeared before Frank for a hearing on Sept. 2. The former Seminole is part of the 2022 high school class and played four consecutive college seasons without redshirting. His lawsuit challenges his exclusion from the NCAA's new eligibility framework that provides five seasons of competition to athletes from the 2023 class and beyond.
Under Florida law, Steen needed to satisfy four requirements to receive a temporary injunction: a substantial likelihood of success on the merits, no adequate remedy at law, irreparable harm without an injunction, and a showing that granting relief would serve the public interest. Frank determined Steen had not met the necessary standard.
The court found Steen's claimed losses involving practices, workouts, team activities, recruiting conversations, and professional evaluation were not supported by sufficient evidence and remained speculative. Frank also wrote that potential lost NIL income could be measured financially and therefore addressed through monetary damages.
Frank additionally determined a temporary injunction would not serve the public interest, reasoning that granting one player another season could affect roster spots, playing time, scholarships, and revenue-sharing allocations for other athletes.

#steen #frank #eligibility

Football
Kansas State (1-0) takes on Washington State (0-1) in the first ever meeting between the schools. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 AM on Fort Riley Day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and the game will be broadcast on TNT. As usual, all these details and much more can be found in Jon Morse's How To Watch post.
In the opener for both teams, Wazzu lost to Washington 24-10 in a much-too-early edition of the Apple Cup. Wazzu struggled on offense, though the score might have been closer if not for a couple of missed field goals and a couple of interceptions by transfer QB Cade Pinnick. Washington State's defense definitely had its moments, however. If you're like me, you probably missed the game in its entirety. Luckily, we have Drew Schneider on hand to break it all down.
The general gist seems to be that Wazzu may not be the best team on the Wildcats' schedule this year, but Kansas State overlooks the Cougars at its own peril. As Collin Klein himself noted, Pinnick can do some damage with his legs and K-State's defense seemed ever-so-slightly suspect against the run in the blowout win over Nicholls. There's also Wazzu's defense to consider, which managed to get a key 4th down stop on the goal line against Washington, thanks to stalwarts like Keith Brown, a linebacker who missed all of last season with injury and is now the teammate's de facto standard bearer.
I don't pay a lot of attention to fan Q&As, but there are some interesting tidbits in Kellis Robinett's weekly mailbag, including that Klein's recruiting philosophy is that every player is merely leasing a roster spot until someone beats them out of it. Competition is constant is apparently CK's mantra. See? There is only football.

#wazzu #missed #defense #ever

Class of 2027 Nebraska football commit Jailen Hill has been suspended for the rest of his senior year. This comes as he was ruled ineligible through August 2027.
The infraction came after it was found that Hill participated with Miami Carol City before he was officially enrolled. In addition, he lived with a representative of the school's athletic program.
He officially committed to Nebraska on June 16 and began practicing with Carol City in mid-July. He officially enrolled on August 13.
In addition to practicing early, an FHSAA investigation found that his eligibility paperwork was not signed by his legal guardian. Instead, someone else ****** ociated with the football program signed the paperwork. USA Today's Alex Martin reported this.
The corner is currently a member of a Nebraska football recruiting class that ranks 18th in the country according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

#Nebraska #enrolled

Texas A&M's six remaining home games during the 2026 season will serve as critical recruiting opportunities for coach Mike Elko and his staff, especially in the 2028 recruiting cycle, as five-star quarterback Donald Tabron III and four-star Edge Chance Archangel serve as the lone commits in the class and will make their way back to campus this fall.
Plenty of intriguing names in the cycle will visit this weekend when the Aggies host Arizona State on Saturday afternoon, while five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark recently placed Texas A&M in his top 12 program list and will visit College Station on October 3 when the Aggies host Arkansas.
Under Mike Elko, Texas A&M has developed NFL talent at nearly every position, especially after a record-tying 10 players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft back in late April. Elko's background as one of the best defensive coordinators in the country, currently serving as the Aggies' defensive playcaller, has continued to make its way to the eyes and ears of up-and-coming defenders, including 2028 four-star Edge David Dotson.
During his recent interview with Rivals insider Sam Spiegelman, Dotson named Texas A&M among several programs that "have his attention" heading into the fall months.
"Texas, Oklahoma, SMU, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, LSU, and Alabama all have my attention," Dotson continued. "They've each shown me why they want me and how I could fit into their program. The relationships with the coaches, player development, culture, academics, and overall fit are all important to me."

#star #aggies #elko

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O'Rourke claimed that Liverpool are keen on recruiting Bournemouth winger Rayan. O'Rourke said,
"There's obvious links between Rayan and the Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola.
"Iraola was at Bournemouth when they signed him, and obviously he made a massive impact there, he got seven goal contributions in 15 games which is pretty good going.
"Obviously, links with Liverpool are pretty easy to come up with in that respect because of who the manager is.
"Iraola is a big fan of his, having worked with him before, so of course it is a possibility and Liverpool will be keeping a close eye on his performances for Bournemouth this season.

#rayan #manager #pretty #speaking

The FSU baseball program has landed its fourth player in the 2028 recruiting class, and it is yet another in-state prospect, with two-way player Garrett Harper committing on Thursday.
"Officially committed to Florida State University! 🍢 Thank you to my parents, family, friends, coaches, teammates, and Brad for believing in me and helping me get here." he wrote on social media. "Thank you to FSU for the opportunity to continue my academic & baseball journey. Time to work!"
Harper is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder from Cocoa Beach, Florida. He was originally a member of the 2029 recruiting class, but reclassified to join the 2028 class in April. He has a great frame at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds.
He had a strong freshman season at Cocoa Beach High School and is looking to take another step as a junior after skipping his sophomore season. He finished the season hitting .442 with nine doubles, one home run, 19 RBI, and 27 runs in 29 games. He recorded a .509 on-base percentage, walking 11 times and striking out twice.
He made 12 appearances on the mound, going 3-0 with a 2.07 ERA in 44 innings. He held opponents to a .179 batting average, allowing 26 runs (13 earned) on 28 hits and 30 walks, striking out 69 batters. He faced 190 batters and did not allow an extra-base hit.

#class #harper #thank #cocoa

High school basketball stars want to come play for Michael Malone. The UNC head men's basketball coach landed a 3-man recruiting class for his 2026-27 roster, but there's even greater excitement in North Carolina's 2027 recruiting class.
The Tar Heels are hosting top overall recruit CJ Rosser this weekend. Earlier this week, UNC target Darius Wabbington canceled his visit to Louisville, meaning Chapel Hill is now in his final five destinations.
Just when you thought North Carolina's recruiting trail couldn't get any better, 5-star wing Jordan Page announced he'll also be visiting campus this weekend.
According to his 247Sports recruiting profile, Page is the class of 2027's 10th-ranked overall prospect, third-ranked small forward and sixth-ranked player from Florida. Page plays his high school basketball at national powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton.
Page is part of a wing-heavy class for the Tar Heels, who also have offers extended to fellow 5-stars AJ Williams, Demarcus Henry and Asa Montgomery. UNC aced this position on past rosters, most notably recently with 2025 NBA Draft first round pick Drake Powell.

#page #stars

Our ******* ysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here.
Achieved a sixth consecutive quarter of top-line growth, driven by broad-based strength across all regions and industry groups despite macroeconomic headwinds.
Completed the acquisition of AMS to create a global leader in talent and organizational consulting, significantly expanding capabilities in contingent workforce solutions and early career recruiting.
Transitioned to a new geographic reporting structure (Americas, EMEA, APAC) to better align with 'We Are Korn Ferry' go-to-market initiatives and holistic client engagement.
Leveraged proprietary data and IP—including 113 million executive ******* sments—to differentiate services in an AI-saturated market where resume quality has become commoditized.

#market #NVIDIA #tell #americas

Steve Garmhausen
Private capital has become a core growth tool for wealth management firms. Flush with cash from private equity and other sources, registered investment advisors are upgrading technology, recruiting specialized talent, and pursuing both organic expansion and acquisitions. Here’s how CEOs of some of these firms put their capital to work.
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Welcome to Barron's Advisor! Our articles are free to Barron's subscribers and wealth management professionals. To subscribe to Barron's, click here. If you're a wealth management professional and would like access to the Barron's Advisor experience, please provide the information below.

#wealth #firms #steve #flush

Five-star shooting guard Adan Diggs has narrowed his list of offers to seven schools, he told Rivals. Moving forward, the 6-foot-4 senior out of Millennium High School (AZ) will consider Arizona, Arkansas, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and USC.
[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]
To this point, Diggs has just one official visit scheduled, to Arizona the weekend of September 25, but says he plans to take trips to each of his remaining finalists.
He is ranked as the No. 5 overall recruit in the 2027 class and the No. 1 ranked shooting guard, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an average of all three major recruiting media companies (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports).
Diggs was previously ranked as Rivals' No. 1 overall player in the 2028 class before reclassifying.

#overall

The 2027 recruiting cycle still has a few months to go until the December signing period, but it feels like a majority of the top classes in the nation are set. Just two senior blue-chippers — according to the Rivals Industry Ranking — remain uncommitted, as of Sept. 8.
Things always move quick in the summer during official visit season, but this cycle has moved at a fervent pace since the beginning of the spring. While coaching changes, changes of heart and other factors will lead to some flips down the stretch, for the most part, top recruits look locked into their respective pledges.
$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage
Almost every ACC recruiting headline this cycle has revolved around Miami. The Hurricanes have the nation's No. 3 class — per the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings — and are the only ACC program to have a top-15 class with the season underway.
There are some new head coaches in the league who are making a splash in their new digs, while some old faces are still trying to show they've got their fastball. Rivals is taking a look at the updated ACC class rankings, now that football is finally back:

#class

Four-star athlete Za'Kari Johnson is one of Florida State football's top commits in the 2027 recruiting cycle, but they will have to keep fighting to hold onto his commitment. He visited the Texas A&M Aggies last weekend, and on Thursday he will be visiting the Miami Hurricanes, according to On3's EJ Holland.
"I just want to see Miami football," Johnson said. "Miami has always been my dream school. Being a kid from South Florida, I look up to all the greats. I've seen them ball. It motivates me."
Johnson is ranked as the No. 296 overall player and No. 9 athlete in the Rivals industry ranking. He is also the No. 27 player from Florida. He explained what he needs to see from the Seminoles for him to stay committed.
"(My commitment) stands good right now," Johnson said. "I need them to win, though. I need them to ball… I love Mike (Norvell). I hope he can stay. A lot of people say he might not stay. But I hope he can stay, so I can go there."
FSU and Miami appear to be headed in very different directions one week into the 2026 season. The Hurricanes are 1-0 and national ******* le contenders, while the Seminoles are 1-1 and Mike Norvell is fighting for his job. Miami also has another advantage in their pursuit of Johnson, he is teammates with five-star Miami wide receiver commit Nick Lennear, who would surely love to play with him at the next level.

#Miami #seminoles #athlete

Ohio State is now 1-0 following an impressive season opener against Ball State last Saturday.
The Buckeyes finished their first game of the season with a rousing 56-3 victory. The dominant win was witnessed by more than just the 100,000-plus fans that filled Ohio Stadium, as Ohio State was also playing host to multiple recruits Saturday as well.
Ryan Day and the coaching staff may already be reaping the rewards of the first win, as the Buckeyes opened up the week being included in multiple top schools lists for some of the nation's top talents.
2028 five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark (Charlotte, NC / Providence Day School) released his top 12 schools Monday, and Ohio State made the cut.
However, as a top 12 implies, Ohio State still has competition in recruiting Clark. LSU, Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, Miami, Clemson, Texas A&M, Indiana, Texas, South Carolina and USC all also made his top schools.

#ohio #texas #season #first

On August 5, Primerica (NYSE:PRI) reported second-quarter results that read as two different companies bolted together. Net income climbed 13% to $202 million, and earnings per diluted share jumped 19% to $6.45, pushing return on stockholders' equity to 32.1%. Total revenue reached $865 million, up 9% from a year earlier. But those headline figures obscure a split story. The investment arm is sprinting to record highs while the life insurance sales force is quietly getting smaller. Here is what is actually moving the numbers.
Investment and savings product sales hit a record $4.4 billion in the quarter, up 23% from a year ago, while client ***** et values ended the period at an all-time high of $140 billion, up 16%. Net inflows added another $397 million. That growth translated directly into profit. ISP segment revenue rose 21% to $361 million, and pretax income jumped 31% to $104 million, meaning the segment's margin expanded even as it grew. The reason: ***** et-based commission revenue climbed 28%, outpacing the 19% rise in average client ***** ets, thanks to a shift toward higher-margin US managed accounts and Canadian mutual funds.
Primerica also returned $172 million to shareholders in the quarter through $135 million in buybacks and roughly $37 million in dividends, bringing year-to-date capital returns to $352 million. Its effective tax rate improved to 21.7% from 23.9% a year earlier, and its life insurer's statutory risk-based capital ratio stood at approximately 440%, a cushion most insurers would envy.
The company's distribution engine tells a rougher story. The life-licensed sales force fell 3% year over year to 148,612 representatives. Recruiting rose 2% to 82,346 recruits, but far fewer of them actually got licensed: new life-licensed representatives dropped 15% to 11,020. That gap between recruiting and licensing shows up directly in output. The company issued 78,904 life insurance policies, down 12%, with total face amount issued falling 8% to $27.7 billion.
Term Life revenue was roughly flat at $444 million even as adjusted direct premiums rose 3%, and segment pretax income fell 4% to $148 million. Part of that came from cost creep rather than claims: the benefits and claims ratio held steady at 57.9%, but the insurance expense ratio rose to 8.4% from 7.6% a year earlier, eating into a segment that is supposed to be Primerica's stable, predictable cash generator.

#million #year #rose #sales

Destinee Herrera's recruiting journey lasted less than a week.
Four days after NCAA Division 1 programs were officially allowed to contact the Oxnard High junior, Herrera committed to the UCLA softball program during an official visit to Westwood Sept. 5.
"It was wonderful," Herrera said. "I couldn't say no. It's my dream school. The girls were so sweet."
UCLA's interest was obvious even before Herrera was named CIF-Southern Section Division 4 Player of the Year after pitching the Yellowjackets to the Division 4 **** le in May.
A member of The Star's All-County softball first team, she was 14-4 with a 0.96 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 139 innings as a sophomore.

#oxnard

The Alabama Crimson Tide have lost a commitment in their 2028 recruiting class. Three-star linebacker Ryquan Butler decommitted on Sunday, according to a report from Brendan Sonnone of 247Sports.
Butler is from Loachapoka, Alabama, and committed to Alabama on July 7. He picked the Crimson Tide over the FSU Seminoles, Ole Miss Rebels, Auburn Tigers, and several other programs.
He is ranked as the No. 521 overall player and No. 34 linebacker in the 247Sports composite. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder is also the No. 19 player from Alabama.
While the loss stings, Alabama's 2028 recruiting class is still in a great place. They still have the top 2028 recruiting class in the country with six commitments overall, including three-star linebacker Dustin Henry. Four-star quarterback Kingston Preyear, the No. 44 player in the country, is their highest-ranked commit and the leader of the group.
Butler was enjoying an excellent start to his junior season before he decided to reopen his recruitment. In two games, he recorded 27 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles for Loachapoka High School. He also plays on offense, carrying the ball 11 times for 92 yards and four touchdowns.

#linebacker #crimson

On August 5, Primerica (NYSE:PRI) reported second-quarter results that read as two different companies bolted together. Net income climbed 13% to $202 million, and earnings per diluted share jumped 19% to $6.45, pushing return on stockholders' equity to 32.1%. Total revenue reached $865 million, up 9% from a year earlier. But those headline figures obscure a split story. The investment arm is sprinting to record highs while the life insurance sales force is quietly getting smaller. Here is what is actually moving the numbers.
Investment and savings product sales hit a record $4.4 billion in the quarter, up 23% from a year ago, while client ****** et values ended the period at an all-time high of $140 billion, up 16%. Net inflows added another $397 million. That growth translated directly into profit. ISP segment revenue rose 21% to $361 million, and pretax income jumped 31% to $104 million, meaning the segment's margin expanded even as it grew. The reason: ****** et-based commission revenue climbed 28%, outpacing the 19% rise in average client ****** ets, thanks to a shift toward higher-margin US managed accounts and Canadian mutual funds.
Primerica also returned $172 million to shareholders in the quarter through $135 million in buybacks and roughly $37 million in dividends, bringing year-to-date capital returns to $352 million. Its effective tax rate improved to 21.7% from 23.9% a year earlier, and its life insurer's statutory risk-based capital ratio stood at approximately 440%, a cushion most insurers would envy.
The company's distribution engine tells a rougher story. The life-licensed sales force fell 3% year over year to 148,612 representatives. Recruiting rose 2% to 82,346 recruits, but far fewer of them actually got licensed: new life-licensed representatives dropped 15% to 11,020. That gap between recruiting and licensing shows up directly in output. The company issued 78,904 life insurance policies, down 12%, with total face amount issued falling 8% to $27.7 billion.
Term Life revenue was roughly flat at $444 million even as adjusted direct premiums rose 3%, and segment pretax income fell 4% to $148 million. Part of that came from cost creep rather than claims: the benefits and claims ratio held steady at 57.9%, but the insurance expense ratio rose to 8.4% from 7.6% a year earlier, eating into a segment that is supposed to be Primerica's stable, predictable cash generator.

#sales

Sunday's Apple Cup won't be the only competition the Washington Huskies will be involved in this weekend, as Jedd Fish and his coaching staff are set to host a staggering 41 recruits on unofficial visits. The incoming visitors consist of commits and prospects from the 2027, 2028, and 2029 classes.
While most of the prospects making their way to Montlake are from Washington's traditional recruiting footprint along the West Coast, the Huskies are still looking to extend their footprint across the United States.
Among the 2027 commits who will be in Seattle on Sunday are four-star wide receiver Tre Moore and four-star edge rusher Chaz Gray. Moore is entering his senior year at Pflugerville Weiss High School in Texas, while Gray has starred at St. Joseph Regional in New Jersey. Both players are ranked inside the top 25 in their respective states, according to 247Sports.
Making up a majority of the visiting cast are 2028 prospects. Out of the 26 high school juniors set to visit, 12 are making a cross-country trip. The list includes:
Five-Star OL Antijuan Wilkes (Cass Tech, Michigan)

#commits

Texas A&M will kick off the 2026 regular season against Missouri State on Saturday night, which will include five of the Aggies' five-star commits in the No. 1-ranked 2027 recruiting class, led by senior St. Thomas Aquinas offensive tackle Mark Matthews, who is coming off Friday night's thrilling 31-24 victory to stay undefeated this year.
One of the more refined pass-protecting tackles in the 2027 cycle, Matthews is widely considered to have first-round NFL Draft potential, and after committing to Texas A&M over Miami, Aggie fans are waiting for the blue-chip big man to officially shut down his recruitment and sign with the program in early December.
Late last month, Matthews revealed in an interview with GigEm247's Cade Draughon that he plans to announce his recruitment shutdown in due time and will release a statement on X, but for the remaining fans still unsure if the Florida native is truly locked in with the Aggies, his post-game interview with Marcus Benjamin stated that he is "a thousand percent locked in" with Texas A&M.
When asked what Texas A&M fans should expect from Matthews in Year 1, the incoming freshman simply responded, "The film, I promise I'm going to drop myself in the SEC and do the same thing." When asked which teams are still in pursuit, he mentioned only the Miami Hurricanes and coach Mario Cristobal, which isn't surprising given the in-state connection.
Matthews is expected to make his way to College Station this weekend and attend Texas A&M vs. Missouri State on Saturday night.

#aggies

Since the turn of the century, the Oregon Ducks have continued to grow into a powerhouse on the gridiron. Recruiting from coast to coast and becoming one of the winningest programs in the country since 2000, the Ducks have had some of the best players in college football history walk through Eugene.
While the Ducks are still seeking their first national championship, their ability to attract elite talent and turn them into NFL-ready stars has kept the program on the map as more than a team with flashy uniforms and the Nike checkmark. Oregon's lone Heisman Trophy recipient, Marcus Mariota, is still revered for his play in Eugene and is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the modern era of college football.
With the 2026 season just getting underway, USA TODAY compiled a list of players to represent the All-2000s team. Mariota didn't make the cut, but former Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell took his spot among elite company on the second team.
Sewell shared the second-team honors at offensive tackle with Alex Leatherwood, a former first-round pick and standout at Alabama from 2017 to 2020. First-team selections went to Wisconsin's Joe Thomas (2003-2006) and Miami's Bryant McKinnie (1999-2001).
Sewell spent two seasons as the blindside tackle for Justin Herbert. From the moment he stepped on campus, Sewell was a starter for the Ducks and didn't disappoint. Despite missing six games with an injury as a freshman, he quickly solidified himself as one of the nation's elite protectors, playing penalty-free in his first collegiate season.

#first #tackle