UNDATED (AP) — Team bus drivers like Jackie McCloud, Courtney Ellis and Larry Thurman are more than just drivers; they’re part of the team. When the Kentucky baseball team wins, McCloud celebrates with the Wildcats and belly-bumps them. Ellis gives pep talks and leads cheers in the Delta State dugout. Thurman drove TCU athletes for nine years and says drivers who distance themselves from their teams are missing out.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Texas aims to repeat as national softball champions, but the Longhorns face a tough and unpredictable field in the NCAA Championships. Texas, the No. 2 seed, opens against Wagner in the Austin Regional. Alabama holds the No. 1 seed, while Oklahoma, the SEC champion, is seeded third. Nebraska, ranked No. 1 in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, is the No. 4 seed. Arkansas, with the top RPI, is seeded fifth. Regional play starts Friday, with the top 16 seeds hosting double-elimination brackets. The final eight teams will play in the Women's College World Series, beginning May 28 in Oklahoma City.
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. (AP) — The Atlantic Coast Conference considers Duke's three-game television deal with streaming giant Amazon Prime “something creative.” Commissioner Jim Phillips is praising the Blue Devils for working with ACC television partner ESPN to secure a first-of-its-kind contract that could set a precedent for future cash grabs around the league and maybe the country. The move comes at a time when college athletic departments are desperately looking for new revenue sources. Amazon and Duke announced an agreement last month for Prime to air three men’s basketball games during the 2026-27 season. The games will be marquee matchups inside professional sports arenas and feature one of the biggest brands in college hoops: Duke.
