In La Jolla, California, Sinia Plotz scored at the beginning of each half and Anna Reed made 10 saves, leading Southern California to a 10-9 victory over California at the Canyonview Aquatic Center. This win secured the Trojans their seventh national championship in women’s water polo. It marked the first championship for Casey Moon in his second season as head coach of the Trojans. The last time USC won the title was in 2021. The fourth-seeded Golden Bears, with a record of 16-8, were seeking their first championship. They eliminated defending champion and top-ranked Stanford with a score of 13-11 in the semifinals to reach their second final in three seasons under coach Coralie Simmons, who is in her 10th season.
In Indianapolis, Jara Emtage-Cave, who started playing rugby at 13 in Barbados, embarked on a journey that led her from the flag program to full-contact rugby at age 16, followed by playing on Stanford’s club team during her undergraduate years. This past weekend, she competed in the College Rugby Association of America championship in Indianapolis among over two dozen teams. The tournament offers the chance to not only win a title but also to potentially promote women’s rugby to a full-fledged NCAA championship sport. The women’s national championship took place on Saturday and Sunday in Indianapolis, while the men’s title will be determined the following weekend in Indy.
In Coral Gables, Florida, Miami’s athletic director Dan Radakovich is reportedly planning to retire, with an official announcement expected soon. A search has begun for his replacement, with the university evaluating multiple candidates. While the university has not publicly disclosed any details, a person familiar with the matter shared the information with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. A university athletic department spokesperson declined to comment.
In Kansas City, Missouri, the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches emphasized the importance of coaches’ input in discussions about implementing an age-based model that would grant college athletes five years of eligibility. The NCAA panel has been exploring this concept, with eligibility commencing when an athlete turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever comes first. NABC executive director Craig Robinson stressed the significance of collaboration and communication with coaches, deeming it non-negotiable.
