Latest news with #DivisionI
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Nebraska has highest Directors' Cup finish since 2010
Nebraska athletics capped a strong 2024-2025 year by placing 21st in the Division I Learfield Directors' Cup standings. The Huskers finished the year with 830.50 total points, their best finish since 2010 and just the fourth time in the last 20 years they eclipsed the 800-point mark. Nebraska was one of seven Big Ten teams to finish in the final top 25, joining USC (second), UCLA (fifth), Ohio State (eighth), Michigan (13th), Penn State (16th), and Oregon (18th). For the cup, 19 sports are counted in the final DI standings, with women's soccer, volleyball, and basketball required, along with men's basketball and baseball. The next 14 highest sports for each institution are then scored. For Nebraska, the school posted top-five finishes in four sports, earning a runner-up in wrestling, a Final Four finish in volleyball, a third-place finish in bowling and a fourth-place finish in men's gymnastics. Softball's Super Regional appearance also counted towards a ninth-place finish, giving the Huskers a fifth top-10 finish on the year. Nebraska capped off the spring season by scoring points in softball, baseball (Regionals), men's tennis (NCAA First Round), and both men's (35th) and women's (26th) track and field. Contact/Follow us@CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
NCAA considering proposal to allow college athletes, staff to bet on professional sports
The NCAA is considering a proposal that would allow athletes and staff members to bet on professional sports and shift enforcement efforts to college sports betting and 'behaviors that directly impact game integrity.' The Division I Council introduced the proposal that will be considered this fall and be implemented if Divisions II and III officials also approve. The NCAA would still bar betting on college sports and sharing information about college events with bettors. Advertising and sponsorships associated with betting are also not allowed at NCAA championship events. The shift comes as the organization grapples with the growth of legalized gambling across the United States. NCAA President Charlie Baker and other college sports leaders have raised concerns about gamblers attacking athletes on social media for their play and there have been scattered allegations, including some earlier this year, against programs involving betting. The NCAA said Wednesday that 'several sports betting-related violations by staff members at NCAA schools' have been resolved in recent years and noted its enforcement staff is working on issuing notices of allegations in several ongoing gambling cases. Still, the NCAA has acknowledged the challenges in barring adult athletes at hundreds of schools from gambling on pro sports. Two years ago, it made reinstatement policies more lenient and the NCAA has a multi-year partnership with Genius Sports, which distributes official NCAA data to licensed sportsbooks, an arrangement that bars negative prop bets. 'NCAA rules prohibiting sports betting at all levels were written and adopted at a time when sports gambling was largely illegal nationwide,' said Josh Whitman, athletics director at Illinois and council chairman. 'As betting on sports has become more widely accepted across the country, Division I members have determined that further discussion of these sports betting rules is warranted, particularly as it relates to the potential distinctions between betting on professional vs. collegiate sports.' Current NCAA rules do not allow athletes or institutional staff to engage in sports betting for any sports that have NCAA championships; bets by an athlete on their own team or own sport risks a lifetime ban from college athletics. 'The enforcement staff's sports betting-related caseload has significantly increased in recent years, and our staff — including our new sports betting integrity unit — has been effective in detecting and pursuing violations,' said Jon Duncan, NCAA vice president of enforcement. Dr. Deena Casiero, the NCAA's chief medical officer, said allowing pro sports betting may be more effective and realistic than an 'abstinence-only' approach, clearing the way for education and better understanding of the risks. 'By meeting student-athletes where they are, schools may be more effective at preventing, identifying and supporting student-athletes with problematic gambling behaviors," Casiero said. In other NCAA moves, the Division I Board of Directors this week formally adopted roster limits for NCAA sports as part of the $2.8 billion House settlement that also allows revenue-sharing and schools to award as many scholarships as they wish within the roster caps. Also this week, the Division I Council: — Endorsed a recommended cap of 32 regular-season games in both men's and women's basketball beginning with the 2026-27 season. Critics include early-season tournament organizers who say the change could result in fewer marquee matchups. — Introduced a proposal to add women's flag football to the emerging sports for women program. Flag football has grown rapidly in popularity and will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. — Adopted scheduling flexibility changes allowing Football Championship Subdivision programs to compete in 12 regular-season games every year, starting in 2026. — Voted to introduce proposals that, if also supported by Divisions II and III, would establish NCAA championships for women's stunt and women's acrobatics and tumbling as early as spring 2027. The sports have grown in popularity. — Voted to separate the scoring at the fencing championships to recognize winning teams in both men's and women's fencing. Currently, women's-only teams are statistically unable to win the national championship under the existing scoring format. The change also needs backing by Divisions II and III.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
The DIII realization that set Cedric Coward on a fantastical 2025 NBA Draft path
The Division I vision, let alone the NBA dream, had slightly faded in Cedric Coward's mind when he headed to Willamette University — a Division III program — out of high school. It wasn't the first step he envisioned for himself at all. However, as Coward, a 6-foot-6 wing, sat in front of the media this week as an expected pick in the first round of the draft Wednesday night at Barclays Center, he was right where he dreamt of being. 'This is what I fully expected…' Coward said. 'You have to have a confidence in yourself that's kind of a bit crazy in a way.' 3 Cedric Coward arrives for the first round of the 2025 NBA draft. AP The Fresno, Calif., native admitted he 'wasn't that good' and needed to spend his freshman year at Willamette, a small liberal arts school in Oregon, because he hadn't put in the work required to play at a higher level. But soon, without the distractions at home and while realizing his potential, Coward honed in on his game and developed the work ethic he realized he was lacking. He averaged 19.4 points and 12 rebounds a game and was named the Northwest Conference freshman of the year, which led him to Division I and Eastern Washington University for his sophomore and junior years. Follow The Post's coverage of the 2025 NBA Draft 'Me and my dad have this quote ever since I left for college: 'Play for where you want to go and not for where you are,'' he said. 'And this is a lesson also for young kids just like me that probably didn't get to where they wanted right out of high school. If you aim for your goal and you keep that same faith and belief in yourself, even if it looks super super far away, it's actually closer than you think.' 3 Jalen Cone #15 of the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks shoots over Cedric Coward #0 of the Eastern Washington Eagles. Getty Images It was at Eastern Washington that the NBA became more realistic. During his sophomore year, Coward was getting looks from scouts who were coming to watch others, but he was still getting compliments from them. By junior year, when Coward, as he described, became the 'stereotype main guy,' the scouts were there for him as he averaged 15.4 points per game on 56 percent shooting. 'When you have that, it's a good feeling and it also gives you confidence,' he said. 'Since I'm getting these looks, I might as well make the most of it.' Coward went to Washington State for his senior season, yet it was cut short — to just six games — after he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and underwent surgery. He entered the transfer portal and committed to Duke, but then opted for the NBA. 3 Cedric Coward shoots the ball during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine on May 13, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Coward has practiced with several teams, including the Nets, who had five first-round picks, including the No. 8 pick.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Report: College hoops expanding to 32-game season
June 25 - The NCAA is expected to approve an expansion of the college basketball season from 31 to 32 games, CBS Sports reported Wednesday. The schedule change would go into effect with the 2026-27 season for men and women after the Division I Council passes the measure, per the report. There has been a 31-game maximum since 2006-07. Teams are permitted to schedule 28 or 29 predetermined games, plus an allowance for multi-team events -- such as holiday tournaments -- where two or three additional games could be played. According to the report, programs will not be required to play 32 games but will merely have the option to do so. --Field Level Media
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NBA draft 2025: Year-by-year No. 1 overall picks; Cooper Flagg expected next
The day has arrived. Welcome to the NBA draft. In just a few hours, the next wave of NBA talent will be welcomed into the association at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with NBA commissioner Adam Silver announcing their names — and that includes the highly anticipated moment of the No. 1 overall pick. The No. 1 overall pick for the 2025 NBA Draft is all but a done deal and a selection that doesn't have much uncertainty surrounding it going into the draft, as the Dallas Mavericks are widely expected to take Duke's Cooper Flagg with the top overall pick. REQUIRED READING: Which Duke players had the best NBA careers? Ranking Cooper Flagg's competition At 18 years old, Flagg will be the second youngest player taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft's history, only behind four-time NBA champion LeBron James. Should Flagg be taken by the Mavericks, Flagg not only will be able to start his NBA career with a true contender for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, but will add his name to the legacy and history of former Blue Devils that have been taken with the pick. So with the 2025 NBA Draft set to get underway on June 25 at 8 p.m. ET at the Barclays Center, what exclusive group of past NBA talent is Flagg expected to join as the presumed No. 1 overall pick? Here's a full look at the history of the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, including a year-by-year list of the top overall pick and which Division I colleges have the most No. 1 overall picks: Who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft? The expected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is Duke's Cooper Flagg, who won the Naismith, Wooden and Associated Press National Player of the Year awards this past season as a true freshman. Here's more on Flagg going No. 1 overall to the Mavericks from USA TODAY's latest NBA mock draft: The do-it-all young star led the Blue Devils in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Flagg has outstanding footwork, especially in the low post. He can use either hand on shots in the paint, knows how to run plays, can hit catch-and-shoot 3s and is an active weakside defender. Flagg, who added more muscle since the start of the year, is a physical player who initiates contact, is confident and plays with force when necessary. REQUIRED READING: 2025 NBA mock draft: Final projection for every team's pick in first round Most NBA draft No. 1 overall picks by a single college Previously noted by the Fayetteville Observer, part of the USA TODAY Network, and ESPN, Duke holds the record among all Division I basketball programs with the most No. 1 overall picks at five. Here's a breakdown of which Division I basketball programs have the most No. 1 overall picks: NBA draft No. 1 pick history Here's a full list of No. 1 overall picks in the NBA draft dating back to 1947: Click here to look at the full list of No. 1 overall NBA draft picks dating back to 1947. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
