UNDATED (AP) — Virginia has fired Amaka Agugua-Hamilton as head coach of the women’s basketball program. Agugua-Hamilton led the Cavaliers to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000. She went 70-58, including a 29-42 mark in ACC play. Virginia became the first double-digit seed to reach the regional semifinals since 2022 and pulled off the upset of the tournament, knocking off No. 2 seed Iowa on the road in double overtime in the second round. They became the first First Four team to advance this far before falling to TCU.
UNDATED (AP) — President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at fixing college sports that would give federal agencies authority to cut funding at schools that don’t comply with mandates covering transfers, eligibility and pay-for-play in the rapidly changing industry. The order is a laundry list of proposed fixes that lawmakers and college leaders have been pushing for. Among the notable parts of the order was a call to establish “clear, consistent and fair eligibility limits, including a five-year participation window.”
UNDATED (AP) — Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer is The Associated Press men's college basketball national player of the year. The high-end NBA prospect helped the Blue Devils win 35 games while reaching No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll. Boozer is the fifth freshman to win the honor. He's also the second in a row from Duke, following Cooper Flagg. Boozer averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds. He claimed 59 of 61 votes from AP Top 25 voters in results released Friday. BYU freshman and fellow top pro prospect AJ Dybantsa claimed the other votes after averaging a national-best 25.5 points.
UNDATED (AP) — Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne is calling for an end to the Southeastern Conference championship game. He believes the event has run its course, especially with an expanded playoff likely in the future. Alabama lost to Georgia 28-7 in the SEC title game, leaving the team with a 10-3 record. But the selection committee considered Alabama's regular-season success and included the Crimson Tide in the playoff. Byrne's stance isn't necessarily unique. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte and others have suggested changes. Georgia coach Kirby Smart sees both sides but values the SEC title's significance.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA is grappling with the blurred lines between amateur and professional sports. This debate is highlighted at the Final Four, where some players from Illinois and Arizona have pro experience in Europe. The NCAA is considering rule changes to address this, especially after two players returned to college after entering the NBA draft. The rise of name, image, and likeness payments has made college sports more lucrative, attracting international talent. Coaches and athletic directors acknowledge the evolving landscape, where college sports increasingly resemble a business.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd says he’s remaining with the Wildcats after being mentioned as a potential candidate to fill the coaching vacancy at blueblood program North Carolina. The school also announced it had reached an extension with Lloyd through the 2030-31 season. The 51-year-old Lloyd had been considered a top potential target for the Tar Heels. UNC fired Hubert Davis on March 24 after five seasons. Lloyd's comments came a day before his Wildcats face Michigan in Saturday night's national semifinals in a matchup of the two remaining 1-seeds.
PHOENIX (AP) — When Jennifer Rizzotti arrived at UConn as a player in 1992, the expectations around the school, as well as the women’s basketball landscape, were much different than they are today. Geno Auriemma was only in his eighth season coaching the Huskies. And women’s basketball as a whole hadn’t seen the unprecedented growth in sponsorships and popularity it is experiencing now. Within a few years, the Huskies went undefeated en route to their first national title. Everything about the program changed, and even as women’s basketball has evolved and skyrocketed in exposure, the Huskies have remained the gold standard.
UNDATED (AP) — Fred Hoiberg of Nebraska has been named The Associated Press men's basketball coach of the year. He led the Cornhuskers to a 28-win season, including their first NCAA Tournament win and a run to the Sweet 16. Hoiberg received 17 votes from a 61-person media panel, edging Duke’s Jon Scheyer. Hoiberg, with deep roots in Lincoln, built a roster that excited fans and changed the perception of Nebraska as just a football school.
