NEW YORK (AP) — The party isn’t over for UCLA’s national champions. The Bruins are having another big celebration at the WNBA draft. Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice were taken with picks Nos. 4-6 on Monday night, barely a week after helping the Bruins win their first NCAA championship. UCLA became the first team to have five first-round selections, and the first with six players selected in one draft. The 6-foot-7 Betts was selected by the Washington Mystics, with Jaquez then taken by the Chicago Sky. The expansion Toronto Tempo made Rice their first draft pick with the No. 6 selection. Angela Dugalic and Gianna Kneepkens were also taken in the first round.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska announced Pryce Sandfort will return to the Cornhuskers next season. The 3-point shooting specialist helped lead Nebraska to its first NCAA Tournament win and a Sweet 16 appearance. Sandfort transferred to Nebraska after two years at Iowa and had a breakout season. He earned Associated Press All-Big Ten second-team honors. He averaged 18 points to lead the Huskers, and he was first in the Big Ten and fourth nationally with just under four 3s per game. His 129 3s were the most in program history. Coach Fred Hoiberg says Sandfort has drawn a lot of interest from NBA teams.
UNDATED (AP) — UCLA's baseball team is on the cusp of entering all-time territory with the 27-game winning streak it carried into the week. The Bruins have matched 2015 Illinois for most consecutive wins in Big Ten history. A nonconference win against UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday would give UCLA the longest streak in the nation since Fairfield won 28 in a row in 2021 and longest among power-conference schools since Texas reeled off 33 straight in 1982. Coach John Savage says he doesn't talk to the team about the streak. He says the Bruins have bigger goals.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Chris McIntosh is stepping down as Wisconsin’s athletic director and moving into the Big Ten office as the conference’s deputy commissioner for strategy. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti announced the move on Monday after it had been reported previously by the Wisconsin State Journal and Sports Business Journal. McIntosh had been Wisconsin’s athletic director since the 2021 retirement of Barry Alvarez. He will begin his new position on May 1. Marcus Sedberry will serve as Wisconsin's interim athletic director.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nico Iamaleava decided to stay at UCLA for another season after a positive conversation with new coach Bob Chesney. Chesney is bringing fresh energy to the Bruins. UCLA struggled last season, finishing 3-9 after coach DeShaun Foster was fired after an 0-3 start. Iamaleava threw for nearly 2,000 yards and led the team in rushing after transferring from Tennessee. He's now getting a full spring camp experience and learning a new playbook. Chesney's high-energy approach is motivating the team. Iamaleava is focused on building strength to handle hits better this season. Defensive back Cole Martin is praising Iamaleava's leadership and Chesney's team-building efforts.
UNDATED (AP) — The NFL draft is seeing fewer longshots from small schools. The rise of NIL deals and the crowded transfer portal have concentrated talent in power conferences. The shift is impacting the draft, with fewer players from nonpower conferences being taken during the three-day event. Only 24 of 257 NFL draftees last year came from nonpower conferences. The NCAA's policy changes on name, image, and likeness, along with transfer rules, have altered scouting strategies, focusing more on traditional football powerhouses.
UNDATED (AP) — The NIL deals that are transforming college sports are also allowing NFL teams to gain insight into how a young player will react to having money before they get a big pro contract. For many evaluators, it has become an important tool in the draft process. A prospect who stays focused despite lucrative deals is more likely to make a smoother transition to the pros. Scouts want to see if a player’s performance dips after making a lot of money or if he maintains the same work ethic and consistency. How they interact with teammates is also a key dynamic.
NEW YORK (AP) — Five Ohio State players plan to attend the first round of the NFL draft on April 23. Defensive back Caleb Downs, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, linebacker Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles and wide receiver Carnell Tate will be in the green room in Pittsburgh waiting for their name to be called. Ohio State has a chance to join Michigan State in 1967 and Notre Dame in 1946 as the only schools to have four players selected in the top 10. Heisman Trophy winner and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the projected first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders, is expected to watch the draft in Miami.
