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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
After successful Big Ten debut, UCLA has designs on something even bigger
It's a chaotic time in college sports, the rules seeming to change daily and some athletes making nearly as much money as their coaches. At UCLA, the revenue-sharing era officially starts Friday. Athletes will undoubtedly keep refreshing their PayPal accounts to check for that first payment from the pot of $20.5 million that will be distributed in the first year. Meanwhile, Bruins athletic director Martin Jarmond will be keeping tabs on another bottom line — following up a successful Big Ten debut with something far bigger. Having tallied 10 conference championships between the Big Ten and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation — more than any other Big Ten school — UCLA could be poised for a breakthrough in its two marquee sports as part of a potentially historic year across the board for its athletic department. The football team landed transfer Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee and the men's basketball team brought in Donovan Dent from New Mexico, giving UCLA perhaps its best quarterback-point guard combination since Josh Rosen and Lonzo Ball nearly a decade ago. Read more: 'It came down to me wanting to be back home': Nico Iamaleava details move to UCLA 'If you look at our athletic program,' Jarmond, who recently completed his fifth year on the job, told The Times, 'there's an energy and buzz that I feel we haven't had since I've been here, and that's why I'm most positive now.' At a recent player-run practice on campus, Jarmond watched Iamaleava step up in the pocket and fire a 50-yard pass down the sideline to wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer. 'Nico made a play that I don't know how many other guys in the country could make,' Jarmond said, 'and I was like, 'whoa.' Like, that's pretty cool, you know?' There's lots of intrigue to behold in Westwood these days. Read more: UCLA finds its Dylan Andrews replacement in former New Mexico standout Donovan Dent Fresh off a Final Four run, the women's basketball team bolstered itself with the additions of sharpshooter Gianna Kneepkens, a highly coveted transfer from Utah, and freshman Sienna Betts, the younger sister of All-America center Lauren Betts. Oh, and don't forget that softball slugger Megan Grant will make Pauley Pavilion a second home as part of her bid to become a two-sport standout. Grant will also once again combine with Jordan Woolery as perhaps the nation's top-hitting duo in their bid to help the softball team not only make it back to the Women's College World Series but win the whole thing this time. The baseball team that just made the College World Series is bringing back shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the probable No. 1 pick in the 2026 Major League Baseball draft, and recently learned that high school pitcher Angel Cervantes will play for the Bruins next season instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates after contract negotiations ended with the recent draftee. Jarmond said he was confident the team could continue to play at Jackie Robinson Stadium in 2026 after a judge issued a stay of legal proceedings that threatened to force the Bruins to go elsewhere. The men's water polo team will try to defend its national championship with Ryder Dodd trying to top a season in which the freshman scored a MPSF-record 102 goals. Read more: 'A huge moment': Martin Jarmond discusses UCLA's plans after House settlement After finishing as runner-up to national champion Oklahoma, the women's gymnastics team will welcome a top recruiting class plus the return of two-time Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles. Jarmond said he appreciates working for a university administration that understands the importance of supporting a strong Olympic sports program, particularly with the 2028 Summer Olympics headed to Los Angeles. 'This is the time to continue to invest in our Olympic sports and make sure that we have the excellence that UCLA is known for,' Jarmond said, 'and we're going to uphold that tradition.' Unlike other schools that have imposed student fees to help offset rising athletic department costs upon the onset of revenue sharing, UCLA officials have not discussed such a move, Jarmond said. The Bruins will instead focus on revenue generation through fundraising, ticket sales, sponsorships and new creative endeavors. The school plans to partner with an outside firm to help its athletes with content creation to boost their social media following, making them more attractive to brands that could hire them for name, image and likeness deals. Jarmond said he's not aware of any NIL deals involving UCLA athletes being rejected by the new College Sports Commission, though there remains a backlog of deals under review. Deals of $600 or more are evaluated by a clearinghouse called NIL Go to ensure they represent fair market value and a legitimate business purpose. The role of collectives in offering additional compensation to athletes beyond revenue sharing continues to evolve as part of a shift away from what was previously considered a hard cap on earnings. 'I'm optimistic that it's going to work out,' Jarmond said of maximizing earnings opportunities for athletes. 'I'm optimistic that we will adapt to whatever situation that presents itself based on hard cap, soft cap, whatever cap.' UCLA is also strengthening the infrastructure of its men's and women's basketball teams with the hiring of an assistant general manager for each sport to help with recruiting and navigating the transfer portal. When it comes to revenue sharing payments, Jarmond said he's leaving it up to coaches to dictate how much each player makes. Football coach DeShaun Foster said he divvied up his team's money based on talent, with general manager Khary Darlington and assistant general manager Steven Price assigning values for each player based on previous NFL front office experience dealing with salary structures. Read more: A courtside lounge? Dynamic ticket pricing? UCLA hopes new sports ventures will pay off 'They loved that we had people explaining to them how you're getting this money or why you're not getting this money,' Foster said of his players, 'and I think that resonated with them.' Across all sports, the Bruins are seeking a strong encore after an initial Big Ten season that saw the school place fifth in the Learfield Director's Cup standings, its best finish since 2018. UCLA athletes posted what Jarmond called a 'phenomenal' 3.22 grade-point average through winter quarter (the latest for which figures are available) despite the travel challenges presented by playing in a coast-to-coast conference. For UCLA athletics to reach the heights that Jarmond wants, its football and men's basketball teams must win big, and he believes the coaches and influx of talent on each of those teams will give them a chance to do so next season. Iamaleava's arrival has generated heightened excitement about a football team that went 5-7 in Foster's debut season. Jarmond said two recruits he met with on their campus visits mentioned the quarterback as one of the reasons they wanted to come to UCLA. 'You know, we just have more interest and buzz, and it's cool,' Jarmond said. 'I think DeShaun has created that, and Nico and the guys.' What excites Jarmond most is the potential to be on a victory lap that's picking up speed. 'This is a great time for UCLA athletics,' Jarmond said, 'and I feel like it's just the beginning.' Sign up for UCLA sports for big game takeaways, recruiting buzz and more UCLA sports insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tracking where the best men's NCAA basketball transfer portal players are headed next
Tracking where the best men's NCAA basketball transfer portal players are headed next A few notable players hit the NCAA men's transfer portal during March Madness and have already made their big decision before the championship game. With more than 1,600 players in the portal within the first two weeks of eligibility, it became especially important for schools and players to make difficult choices as soon as possible so that they could have their commitments ready while NIL money was still available. There are plenty of other talented and impactful who have not yet made a choice about their future, but we will continue to update this post as more rosters are set. More: The best men's NCAA basketball transfer portal players per position, including Donovan Dent Early winners include Louisville, Michigan, Arizona State, Baylor, and Saint John's thus far: Note: Nick Kalinowski, Evan Miya, Bart Torvik, Ken Pom, and CBB Analytics were resources for this research.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former New Mexico guard Donovan Dent headed to UCLA. St. John's star RJ Luis Jr. declares for draft
Former New Mexico guard Donovan Dent headed to UCLA. St. John's star RJ Luis Jr. declares for draft St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) sits on the bench while trailing Arkansas late in the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Michigan State forward Coen Carr, left; and center Carson Cooper, center; defend New Mexico guard Donovan Dent (2) during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard) Michigan State forward Coen Carr, left; and center Carson Cooper, center; defend New Mexico guard Donovan Dent (2) during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard) St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) sits on the bench while trailing Arkansas late in the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Michigan State forward Coen Carr, left; and center Carson Cooper, center; defend New Mexico guard Donovan Dent (2) during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard) UCLA has landed former New Mexico guard Donovan Dent, one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal. Dent announced his decision to play at Westwood on Instagram on Friday, less than a week after opting to enter the transfer portal. Advertisement St. John's second-team All-American RJ Luis Jr. is declaring for the NBA draft while retaining his eligibility and entering the transfer portal, his agent told ESPN. ESPN also reported Kansas big man Flory Bidunga will enter the portal as well. Dent was the Mountain West Conference player of the year after averaging 20.4 points and 6.5 assists per game. The 6-foot-2 guard is expected to fill the hole left at UCLA by Dylan Andrews, who also is in the transfer portal. Dent played three seasons under Richard Pitino, who became Xavier's head coach after leading the Lobos to the NCAA Tournament the past two years. Advertisement Luis was the Big East player of the year after averaging 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. The 6-7 forward was the Big East Tournament most outstanding player and helped St. John's earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But he was on the bench late in the Red Storm's 75-66 loss to Arkansas in the second round. Luis finished 3 for 17 from the floor without an assist, scoring nine points in 30 minutes. He was removed by coach Rick Pitino with 4:56 remaining in a two-point game and didn't return. The 6-9 Bidunga averaged 5.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while providing a spark off the bench behind All-American Hunter Dickinson. ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Reuters
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
New Mexico standout Donovan Dent transferring to UCLA
March 29 - Donovan Dent, who won the Mountain West Player of the Year award with New Mexico this season, is transferring to UCLA. The 247Sports transfer portal listing confirmed the move on Saturday. He was ranked as the No. 2 player in the portal. Dent led the Mountain West with an average of 20.4 points and added 6.4 assists. He shot 49 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from 3-point range. He announced he was entering the transfer portal after New Mexico's 71-63 second-round loss in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament to No. 2 seed Michigan State. It's a homecoming for Dent, who played in high school at Centennial in Corona, about 65 miles from the UCLA campus. Coming out of high school, 247Sports ranked him as the No. 20 point guard in the nation in the 2022 class. Dent appeared in 104 games (72 starts) over three seasons with New Mexico, scoring 1,400 total points for an average of 13.5 points per game.
Miami Herald
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
UCLA lands New Mexico PG Donovan Dent out of transfer portal
Point guard Donovan Dent, the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year who led New Mexico to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, is transferring to UCLA. Multiple media outlets reported the news Friday night. ESPN ranked Dent as the top player in the transfer portal, while 247 Sports listed him at No. 2. Earlier reports indicated he was headed to Kentucky before he settled on UCLA, close to his hometown of Corona, Calif. Dent put up 20.4 points, 6.4 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game this season as the Lobos went 27-8. Tenth-seeded New Mexico beat No. 7 Marquette 75-66 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament behind 21 points and six assists from Dent. He finished with 14 points and six assists in the Lobos' 71-63 second-round loss to second-seeded Michigan State. The 6-foot-2 Dent played 104 games and started 72 across three seasons for New Mexico, averaging 13.5 points, 4.7 assists and 2.3 boards. At UCLA, he will become an instant starter at point guard. The Bruins' incumbent at the position, Dylan Andrews, announced this week that he was entering the transfer portal. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
