Jara Emtage-Cave started playing rugby as a 13-year-old in Barbados, never really imagining how the sport might shape her world. She graduated from the flag program to full contact at age 16, continued her career as an undergrad on Stanford’s club team and this weekend played on one of more than two dozen teams competing in Indianapolis at the College Rugby Association of America championship. But for Emtage-Cave and the others, there’s a potentially bigger prize in Indy than merely winning a title. They could help turn women’s rugby into a full-fledged NCAA championship sport. The women’s national championship tourney was held Saturday and Sunday in Indianapolis. The men’s title will be decided next weekend in Indy.
The executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches says input from coaches is “vital” in discussions about going to an age-based model that would include five years of eligibility for college athletes. That comes as an NCAA panel has discussed the revamp that would give athletes five years of eligibility with the clock starting when an athlete turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever is earliest. NABC executive director Craig Robinson said Thursday says his group views “collaboration and communication with coaches as non-negotiable.”
AJ Dybantsa is entering the NBA draft. The BYU forward made the announcement Thursday. He is widely expected to be a top candidate to be the No. 1 pick. Dybantsa led the nation by averaging 25.5 points per game in his lone college season, along with 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He’s the first player to have a season with all those averages and be named a consensus All-American since Larry Bird did it for Indiana State in 1978-79. Dybantsa says “now the work starts again, all over again.”
Four Big 12 schools had a new head football coach for spring practice. Among them is 36-year-old Collin Klein at Kansas State, who was part of conference titles with the Wildcats as a Heisman Trophy-finalist quarterback in 2012, then as offensive coordinator 10 years later. Klein was away from K-State the past two seasons as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, which went to the College Football Playoff last year. Utah also has one of its former players as head coach, when Morgan Scalley was promoted from defensive coordinator. Jimmy Rogers takes over at Iowa State while Eric Morris is Oklahoma State’s new coach.
There is a hearty mix of returning football players and Big 12 newcomers that will be worth watching next fall. Reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech returns a top linebacker in Ben Roberts even after the graduation of All-American Jacob Rodriguez. Oklahoma State added the FBS passing and rushing leaders along with a coaching change, with Caleb Hawkins and Drew Mestemaker coming with coach Eric Morris from North Texas.
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