ERIC OLSON

AP Sports Writer
FILE -Texas A&M's Ted Burton (27) runs to third during an NCAA baseball game against Florida, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. Burton hit four home runs in nine plate appearances in the first two games of a Friday-Saturday, April 26-27, 2024, series against Georgia. He doubled his season total to eight. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)
College Baseball Notebook: Aggies find new power source in Ted Burton in 6th straight SEC series win
Texas A&M might look back at its weekend series win over Georgia as its most memorable of the season.
 
FILE - Iowa Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens speaks during a news conference about the Iowa National Guard and Iowa Department of Public Safety deployment to the southern border, Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. Attorneys for more than two dozen Iowa and Iowa State athletes who were ensnared in a state gambling sting filed a civil lawsuit Friday, April 26, 2024, seeking unspecified monetary damages from the state and its public safety and criminal investigation agencies for violating the athletes' constitutional rights and smearing their reputations. Among the defendants are Department of Public Safety commissioner Stephan Bayens, DCI director Paul Feddersen, DCI assistant director David Jobes, DCI special agent for sports wagering Troy Nelson, and special agent Brian Sanger. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Athletes tied to Iowa gambling sting seek damages in civil lawsuit against state and investigators
Attorneys for more than two dozen Iowa and Iowa State athletes who were ensnared in a state gambling sting have filed a civil lawsuit seeking unspecified monetary damages from the state and its public safety and criminal investigation agencies for violating the athletes’ constitutional rights and da
 
FILE - The Nebraska defense stops Illinois on the 1-yard line during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, in Champaign, Ill. Nebraska went from 100th in total defense in 2022 to 11th last season. Defensive coordinator Tony White received a raise from $1 million to $1.6 million per year after his name was connected to three head coach openings. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
Rhule wants DC Tony White to stay a long time but knows head coaching job is in rising star’s future
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule was one of Tony White’s biggest supporters when the defensive coordinator was connected to three head coaching jobs. Rhule said he wants his assistants to advance.
 
FILE - Minnesota wide receiver Elijah Spencer (11) celebrates his touchdown against Bowling Green during the Quick Lane Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, in Detroit.Spencer transferred from Charlotte before last season and had a quiet debut with the Gophers, catching just nine balls for 65 yards. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, File)
Here are 14 players to watch next season across the Big Ten Conference
A big part of spring football is identifying players who are showing signs of making breakthroughs. Among Big Ten players on the cusp are Illinois running back Aidan Laughery, Iowa defensive lineman Aaron Graves, Michigan edge rusher TJ Guy, Rutgers tight end Kenny Fletcher and wide receivers Nick M
 
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches during the NCAA college football team's spring game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, April 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Michigan’s QB battle among many in Big Ten that started in spring and will ramp up again in the fall
Big Ten quarterback competitions that started in the spring will carry over to the fall. Only four of the 14 teams appear set at the position. That doesn’t include any of the four teams from the Pac-12 that join the conference in August.
 
FILE - Florida utility Jac Caglianone hits a single in the first inning of an NCAA baseball game against Texas A&M, March 16, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. Caglianone tied the NCAA record when he hit a home run for a ninth straight game in a loss at Vanderbilt, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)
Jac Caglianone’s 9-game HR streak ties record. It’s one of few bright spots in Gators’ tough season
Florida’s Jac Caglianone continues to shine in what otherwise has been a dismal season by the program’s standards.
 
FILE - Nebraska associate head coach Chuck Love instructs players from the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana, Feb. 14, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. Love, in his answer to a civil lawsuit filed in February by former Nebraska player Ashley Scoggin, denied having a sexual relationship with Scoggin. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz, file)
Ex-Nebraska women’s basketball assistant coach denies sexual involvement with player who sued
Former Nebraska women’s basketball assistant coach Chuck Love has denied ever having a sexual relationship with former Cornhuskers player Ashley Scoggin but acknowledged in a court document he did meet with her late at night in a Lincoln parking lot to discuss a problem she was having.
 
FILE - Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello stands in the dugout during a lighting delay in an NCAA college baseball tournament super regional game against Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., Saturday, June 10, 2023. Vitello has built his offense around the long ball. No team in the country has hit more homers than the Volunteers' 500 since 2020. (James Pugh/impact601.com via AP, File, File)
College baseball notebook: Tennessee’s prodigious home run hitting on display against Auburn
It’s midseason and, well, Tennessee’s offense is in midseason form. The Volunteers hit 14 home runs in a weekend series win at Auburn, with six in the second game and six more in the third.
 
Freed-Hardeman guard Quan Lax wears the championship banner after the NAIA men's national championship college basketball game against Langston, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Freed-Hardeman won 71-67. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
NAIA all but bans transgender athletes from women’s sports. NCAA vows to ensure ‘fair competition’
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced a policy that all but bans transgender athletes from women’s sports. The NAIA is the governing body for mostly small colleges, covering about 83,000 athletes across the country.
 
LSU first baseman Jared Jones (22) makes the catch at first base in time to put out Southern's Khyle Radcliffe (7) during an NCAA college baseball game, Monday, April 1, 2024, in Baton Rouge, La. Southern University recorded the biggest upset of the college baseball season with its 12-7 victory over defending national champion LSU on Monday night. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)
Southern Jaguars are pride of HBCU baseball after its upset of defending national champion LSU
In a sport committed to increasing its number of Black players, Southern University’s upset of LSU this week was a victory for all HBCU baseball programs.
 
Clemson head coach Erik Bakich talks with players in the dugout between innings during an NCAA baseball game against South Carolina on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. Clemson is coming off its first series win over Miami since 2012, and first in Coral Gables since 2006. The Tigers are 24-3 and off to their best start since 2002. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)
College baseball notebook: Clemson’s best start since 2002 highlighted by rare series win over Miami
Clemson’s best start since 2002 keeps getting better. The Tigers are 24-3 and coming off their first series win over Miami since 2012 and first in Coral Gables since 2006.
 
FILE - Creighton guard Baylor Scheierman (55) reacts to losing to San Diego State after a Elite 8 college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. San Diego State won 57-56. Hands on his head with the front of his jersey pulled up to cover his face, Baylor Scheierman was the picture of Creighton's raw emotion in the immediate aftermath of its crushing loss in the NCAA Elite last year. That loss to San Diego State denied the Bluejays of their first Final Four and made Scheierman's decision to come back to college for a fifth year a lot easier.(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
Creighton do-it-all man Baylor Scheierman looking for happier ending in March Madness
Baylor Scheierman was the picture of Creighton’s raw emotion in the immediate aftermath of its crushing loss in the NCAA Elite Eight last year. He put his hands on his head with the front of his jersey pulled up to cover his face when time ran out.
 
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark celebrates with teammates after a second-round college basketball game against West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 64-54. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa’s Clark shows love for the fans after they cheer her on one last time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Caitlin Clark raised her arms as she walked across the court, pumped her fists and made a heart with her hands as she bid farewell to her adoring fans who came to see her play one last time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
 
FILE - Oregon State infielder Travis Bazzana (37) plays during an NCAA college baseball game against North Dakota State Friday, March 1, 2024, in Corvallis, Ore. Bazzana has been the ultimate leadoff man lately. The Oregon State star will enter this week's road series against Southern California having opened the last four games with home runs. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman, File)
College baseball notebook: Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana homers leading off 4 straight games
Travis Bazzana has been the ultimate leadoff man lately. The Oregon State star will enter this week’s road series against Southern California having opened the last four games with home runs.
 
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood celebrates with fans following an 89-63 win over Duquesne in the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/John Peterson)
Illinois finally gets past opening weekend of March Madness with 89-63 rout of Duquesne
Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 30 points, Marcus Domask added 22 and No. 3 seed Illinois made fast work 11th-seeded Duquesne in an 89-63 victory to reach the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005.
 
Washington State's Isaac Jones (13) passes around Drake's Conor Enright during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Isaac Jones once loaded trucks. Now the Washington State star plays for Sweet 16 spot
Washington State star Isaac Jones has taken a winding path to March Madness. Five years ago he was fresh out of high school and working 9-to-5 pulling industrial pipes from a storage yard and loading trucks for a company in the Seattle area.
 
Washington State's Isaac Jones (13) is fouled on his way to the basket by Drake's Darnell Brodie (51) during the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Washington State survives maddening 2nd half to beat Drake 66-61 in March Madness
Isaac Jones had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Isaiah Watts’ first 3-pointer in three games gave Washington State the lead with 1:51 left and the seventh-seeded Cougars beat No. 10 Drake 66-61 in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Illinois forward Dain Dainja (42) celebrates after a dunk against Morehead State in the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 21, 2024, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/John Peterson)
Domask gets triple-double as No. 3 seed Illinois beats Morehead State in NCAA tourney
Marcus Domask posted the NCAA Tournament’s first triple-double since 2019 and Terrence Shannon scored 26 points, helping No. 3 seed Illinois pull away from No. 14 Morehead State for an 85-69 first-round win.
 
Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. autographs a camera after the team's win against Wisconsin in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Big Ten Conference tournament, Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Illini’s Shannon enters March Madness playing his best. Criminal charge keeps him quiet off court
A placard with Terrence Shannon Jr.’s name hung over a stall in the Illinois locker room at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday. An empty folding chair was beneath it.
 
Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger hoists the trophy after winning an NCAA college basketball game against Houston to win the championship of the Big 12 Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Iowa State won 69-41. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
All systems go this time as Iowa State heads into March Madness with its hard-nosed defensive team
Iowa State will make the short trip to Omaha for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament in a lot better frame of mind than the Cyclones team that traveled to Greensboro a year ago.
 
FILE - Creighton's Isaac Traudt (41) celebrates after making a three-pointer against Central Michigan during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, in Omaha, Neb. Traudt was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 16 years ago, at age 4, and he's never let it stop him from pursuing the sport he loves. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz, File)
Creighton’s Isaac Traudt wears glucose monitor to stay in game. His diabetes was diagnosed at age 4
Creighton’s Isaac Traudt is playing at the highest level of college basketball while managing Type 1 diabetes. He wears an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor under his uniform.
 
FILE - Florida State head coach Link Jarrett jogs to the dugout before an NCAA baseball game against Florida, March 12, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. This season has been quite a bounce-back for Jarrett and the Seminoles, at least so far. The Seminoles are 18-0 and the only unbeaten team in Division I after sweeping Notre Dame at home over the weekend. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)
College baseball notebook: Seminoles, coming off their worst year, are only unbeaten in Division I
This season has been quite a bounce back for Link Jarrett and the Florida State Seminoles, at least so far. The Seminoles are 18-0 and the only unbeaten team in Division I after sweeping Notre Dame at home over the weekend.
 
FILE - Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule chats with supporters before Purdue played against Nebraska in an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. Rhule spent the first 10 minutes of his pre-spring football practice news conference Monday, March 18, 2024, giving a pep talk to a Nebraska fan base reeling from last week's surprise departure of athletic director Trev Alberts. Rhule has been at the school only 16 months, and in that time he has seen university president Ted Carter leave for the same position at Ohio State and Alberts take off for the AD job at Texas A&M.(AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz, File)
AD Alberts’ move to A&M surprised Rhule. But coach says he’s all in, sees bright future at Nebraska
Coach Matt Rhule spent the first 10 minutes of his pre-spring football practice news conference giving a pep talk to a Nebraska fan base reeling from last week’s surprise departure of athletic director Trev Alberts.
 
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) gestures toward a referee during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Nebraska in the final of the Big Ten women's tournament Sunday, March 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Is there a way to slow Caitlin Clark in March Madness? Here’s how some have tried
Opposing coaches will try again to keep Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark under control in the NCAA Tournament. They all know it’s hopeless to completely shut down Division I’s all-time leading scorer. She’s been slowed.
 
Long Beach State head coach Dan Monson participates in a net cutting ceremony after his team played an NCAA college basketball game against UC Davis in the championship of the Big West Conference men's tournament Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Henderson, Nev. Long Beach State won 74-70. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)
Dan Monson not leaving the Beach just yet. He is heading to March Madness without a job next season
Long Beach State was coming off five straight losses a week ago when coach Dan Monson and first-year athletic director Bobby Smitheran issued a joint statement announcing Monson would leave at the end of the season in what was framed as a mutual separation.
 
Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga (30) reacts after missing a shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois in the semifinal round of the Big Ten Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Cornhuskers, winless in NCAA Tournament, will get a chance to end their March Madness misery
For all of its success across multiple sports historically, Nebraska has the dubious distinction of being the only Power Five program to have never won a game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
 
FILE - Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen speaks during a news conference, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at the Nebraska state Capitol in Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska lawmakers failed to garner the 30 votes needed Tuesday, March 12, 2024, to override Pillen's veto of a bill that would have allowed needle exchange programs.(Kenneth Ferriera/Lincoln Journal Star via AP, File)
Nebraska governor blames university leadership for AD Trev Alberts’ sudden departure for Texas A&M
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen says athletic director Trev Alberts’ sudden decision to take the same job at Texas A&M is disappointing and he has implored the university’s board of regents to act quickly to fill vacant leadership positions.
 
FILE -FILE - Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts gives an update on Memorial Stadium renovations Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. Texas A&M is close to hiring Nebraska's Trev Alberts as its next athletic director, a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday., March 13, 2024. (Chris Machian/Omaha World-Herald via AP, File)
Trev Alberts is leaving Nebraska to become Texas A&M’s athletic director
Texas A&M has hired Nebraska’s Trev Alberts to replace Ross Bjork as its athletic director. Alberts was a former football star with the Cornhuskers and had been athletic director at Nebraska for just short of three years.
 
Kansas' Dajuan Harris Jr., left, Elmarko Jackson, center, and K.J. Adams Jr. watch the final moment from the bench during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Cincinnati Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Cincinnati won 72-52. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
March Madness upsets are sure to come. Some teams to be wary of as you fill out your bracket
March Madness wouldn’t be March Madness without the excitement of those early upsets in the NCAA Tournament. The 68-team field won’t be announced until Sunday, but it’s a safe bet that one or more high seeds will get bounced early.
 
FILE - Purdue center Zach Edey (15) celebrates with his mother after Purdue defeated Alabama 92-86 in an NCAA college basketball game in Toronto, Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. Edey was the unanimous choice as AP All-Big Ten player of the year in voting released Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Edey and Painter give Purdue two of the top AP Big Ten honors. Illini’s Domask newcomer of year
Purdue’s Zach Edey repeated as Associated Press Big Ten player of the year and Matt Painter of the Boilermakers is coach of the year for the second straight season.
 
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