Latest news with #BigTenDefensivePlayeroftheYear
Indianapolis Star
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Staying 'true to the process,' former IUWBB star Mackenzie Holmes gets second chance with Seattle Storm
SEATTLE – When Mackenzie Holmes decided to have major knee surgery following her illustrious five-year career at IU, she knew it came with some risks. Holmes knew she would miss all of what would've been her rookie season in 2024 with the surgery, one that became necessary after years of wear throughout her high school and college career. She knew that, despite several All-America honors and a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award under her belt, teams could shy away from her because of this major surgery. But she also knew putting this surgery off any longer would affect her career long-term. So, she took that chance. She had surgery shortly before the 2024 WNBA draft, hoping a team would take a chance on her and be willing to stash her for a year. And that team was Seattle. The Storm selected Holmes with the 26th overall pick in the third round in 2024. They did so knowing she would not be able to be a part of the team in 2024, and they were willing to stash her for a year before bringing her back for 2025. 'It was a hard decision to make, but I knew for the longevity of my career that it was the best decision for me,' Holmes told IndyStar. 'Personally, just going through what I had during my career at Indiana, it made the most sense to get the surgery done, knowing that I would miss my rookie season and risk the chance of not being drafted. But I was very grateful that the Storm saw something, took a chance on me, and gave me the opportunity to achieve a lifelong dream, which was getting drafted, then still wanting to take a chance on me a year later.' Holmes spent the 2024 WNBA season away from the Storm, working with the IU women's basketball team as a graduate assistant and rehabbing her knee. Seattle didn't sign her to her rookie scale contract in 2024, instead opting to hold onto her draft rights for a year and sign her officially in 2025. And Holmes was one of the first people to get to Seattle ahead of the season, working in early reps ahead of the team's training camp. 'Coming here early gave her an edge, because she picked up our system quite early,' Storm coach Noelle Quinn said. 'She's in amazing shape, and the best attribute, in my opinion, is the culture piece. She just fits into our locker room, and we were happy to get her back.' Holmes went through all of training camp with the Storm and impressed in the team's lone preseason game against the Connecticut Sun, playing 21 minutes with nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks. But she was still waived from the team in the final round of cuts at the end of camp in early May. It was a blip in her career, yes. But it's a blip that a lot of young WNBA players go through while they work to find their place in the league. 'I left Seattle really heartbroken, because I had grown to really love these people, love the city of Seattle, so I left really upset,' Holmes said. 'But I knew that if it was meant to be, it would happen.' And Holmes made sure that the Storm knew if they ever needed her, she was just a call away. She kept in shape, watched all of their games and kept checking in on the coaching staff. 'We were in the midst of trying to figure out who would be on our roster, and Mack was like, 'I'll ride a bike to wherever you guys are,'' Quinn said. 'That's just the type of person that she is." And Holmes was serious about that. Seattle gave her a call on June 16, asking if she could be in Los Angeles the next day for a game. Of course, she dropped everything for the chance to be on the Storm again. 'Ride my bike, roller skate, whatever she needed me to get there, I would,' Holmes said. 'They were like, 'Can you be in L.A. by Tuesday?' and I'm like, 'Yes, I'll walk there if I have to.'' Holmes' role in Seattle is very different from what her role was at IU — she's not in Seattle's rotation, and she has only played in one game for five minutes since she re-signed with the Storm. In Seattle, though, she's practicing with some of the best frontcourt players in the league, learning from 2016 MVP and perennial All-Star Nneka Ogwumike and veterans Ezi Magbegor and Gabby Williams. 'I feel so grateful to have vets that are great basketball players, but better people,' Holmes said. 'I mean, Nneka is a one-of-a-kind human… all of them are incredible people. I'm learning so much from them, day in and day out. Not even just the basketball piece, but how they operate as pros, it's something the rest of my life I'll take with me.' Holmes is a sponge, someone who is trusting the process as a rookie learning from a loaded frontcourt. And that's exactly the type of player Seattle wants for their final roster spot. 'Mackenzie, she has been working very hard,' Ogwumike said. 'She's someone that stays very true to the process, great teammate, great person. She very much fit all that we're about this year in Seattle.'
USA Today
02-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Pair of Nittany Lions make 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot
Pair of Nittany Lions make 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot A pair of Penn State stars could soon be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Defensive end Courtney Brown and running back Ki-Jana Carter were among 79 players nominated by the NFF College Football Hall of Fame on the 2026 ballot, which was released Monday. Both players are expected to be approved after standout careers in Happy Valley. Brown, who played at Penn State from 1996-99, was viewed as one of the top players in college football during his senior season. He was named a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year en route to the No. 1 overall draft selection in 2000. He finished with 33 career sacks, setting the NCAA record at the time, which still ranks best in Penn State program history. Brown's 13.5 sacks in his senior year rank fourth among Nittany Lions all time. Carter was also a No. 1 overall pick, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995. He was a Nittany Lion from 1992-94, earning unanimous All-American honors as a junior when the Nittany Lions posted an undefeated season. He was named the Rose Bowl MVP to cap off his college career. Carter's 1994 season includes the third-most rushing yards and second-most rushing touchdowns in program history, and he currently has the fourth-most career rushing touchdowns of any Nittany Lion.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants Abdul Carter Makes Fellow Rookie Look 4 Feet Tall
The New York Giants drafted an absolute behemoth with the No.3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is listed at 6-foot-3, 251 pounds. Carter was an absolute machine in his junior season at Penn State. Carter led the nation with 24 tackles for loss, posting 12 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four pass deflections. Carter had 68 total tackles that season, and finished his three-year collegiate career with 12 sacks. Advertisement Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a Unanimous Consensus All-American selection, and he's expected to only get better in the pros. Big, towering brutes isn't the only type of player the Giants drafted. The Giants snagged Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo in the fourth round. In the grand scheme of things, Skattebo isn't a particularly small human. He stands at 5-foot-11 and 216 pounds, he's built like a cannon ball and was not an easy man to bring down in college. In his senior season at Arizona State, Skattebo led the Big 12 with 293 carries and 1,711 yards. He ran in 21 touchdowns and picked up three more in the receiving game, earning him three first place votes in the Heisman Trophy voting, finishing fifth on the ballot. The Giants landed a pair of fantastic athletes and two of college football's best players from this past season. However, when the two of them appeared together in a video from rookie minicamp, Carter appeared to tower over Skattebo, leading X user Dov Kleiman to say "Wild: Giants Abdul Carter makes Cam Skattebo look like he's 4 feet tall." Related: Giants' Dart Timeline Has Three Main Possibilities Related: Giants Welcome Back Receiver They Just Cut
New York Post
05-05-2025
- New York Post
Browns linebacker Devin Bush arrested on assault charge after incident with girlfriend
Former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, top-10 NFL draft pick and current Cleveland Browns linebacker Devin Bush was arrested Sunday on two separate charges after allegedly smashing his girlfriend's cell phone during a dispute. According to TMZ, court records show that Bush was arrested in Allegheny County, Pa., on charges of simple assault and harassment. Bush's girlfriend reportedly told cops she began filming Bush during an argument and 'aggressively' tried to take her phone when he noticed she was recording him. Advertisement 3 Devin Bush with the Browns in September. Getty Images She alleged that Bush got the phone 'and smashed it so that she could not call for help,' cops said, per TMZ. When police officers noticed a wrist abrasion and a mark on the woman's foot, she told them that happened 'from the struggle with Bush trying to take her phone,' TMZ reported. Bush denied getting physical but admitted to smashing her phone. Advertisement The records show that Bush is due to appear in court for a preliminary case hearing on May 20. Further details of the allegations made against him are currently unavailable. According to multiple outlets, the Browns are aware of Bush's arrest and are gathering more information regarding what the alleged incident that got him arrested entailed. The 26-year-old was a standout linebacker in his collegiate career at Michigan, which led to the Pittsburgh Steelers trading up in the 2019 NFL Draft to select him 10th overall. Advertisement 3 Devin Bush with the Browns in November. Getty Images He spent three seasons with the Wolverines under now-Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Bush broke out in his sophomore season as he recorded more than 100 tackles and was the leader of Michigan's defense. In his junior year, he continued his stellar play. He was recognized with All American honors and the 2018 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award before declaring for the draft. Bush spent four seasons with the Steelers, placing third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after starting 15 games and tallying 109 total tackles, two interceptions, four fumble recoveries, nine tackles for loss and a scoop-and-score touchdown. Advertisement 3 The Steelers used the 10th overall draft pick in 2019 to select Devin Bush. Getty Images In his second season, he tore his ACL after appearing in five games. The undersized linebacker who relied so heavily on his speed and athleticism has since not looked the same after his solid rookie season. He joined the Seahawks after his four-year stint in Pittsburgh and started in just three games before heading to Cleveland for this past season where he started in 10 games and had 76 total tackles.
Fox Sports
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Former Wisconsin forward Serah Williams transferring to UConn
Associated Press STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Former Wisconsin forward Serah Williams says she is transferring to UConn. Williams posted on social media Wednesday that she had committed to the reigning national champions. Williams had entered the transfer portal after Marisa Moseley stepped down as Wisconsin's coach last month. Williams, who is 6-foot-4, averaged 19.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks this past season and was the 2023-2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all conference selection. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: and in this topic
