WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan bill top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports has cleared a major hurdle in the Senate. The Senate Commerce Committee voted 19-9 to advance the bill on Thursday. The Protect College Sports Act would regulate athlete payments, limit players to one unrestricted transfer and stop coaches from changing jobs during a season. The bill has support from several athletic conferences and the NFL, the NFL Players Association and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. But the SEC and the Big Ten have not endorsed it. Support and opposition for the bill crosses party lines.
UNDATED (AP) — The Protect College Sports Act has moved forward with Senate committee approval. However, the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences oppose the bill, seeking revisions. This opposition fuels speculation about a potential split from the NCAA to form a super league. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell emphasizes the need for economic benefits for all. The Big Ten and SEC dominate financially and athletically, raising concerns about parity. Cody Campbell, a Texas Tech regent, dismisses the super league idea as impractical. The bill still requires approval from 60 senators and the House, with legal challenges likely even if it becomes law.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Ryder Cowan knew he was playing good golf coming into the U.S. Open. Midway through his round Thursday, the leaderboard showed that the amateur was playing the best golf of anyone at Shinnecock Hills. Cowan, a 21-year-old who will be a senior at Oklahoma, briefly held the lead in his first major championship before finishing with a 2-under 68, matching the lowest round by an amateur at Shinnecock. He was tied for second when the first round was suspended. Cowan was four shots behind Wyndham Clark, in position to be the first amateur to finish a U.S. Open round in the top five since 2015.
UNDATED (AP) — BYU's AJ Dybantsa has been the long-running favorite to be the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick and headlines the group of forward prospects. Dybantsa led the country in scoring and was a first-team Associated Press all-American. He headlines a position that includes a pair of fellow freshmen in the top tier with Duke's Cameron Boozer and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson. Boozer was AP national player of the year. Wilson was a second-team All-American. They join Kansas guard Darryn Peterson in the clear top tier of overall prospects entering Tuesday's first round.
DENVER (AP) — College football leaders gathered Wednesday to debate the merits of expanding to 24 or 16 playoff teams. They need more time, though, to sort out the details of what could be the most important number — money. Rich Clark, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, said the meetings between commissioners and a few others were “very healthy” but didn’t lead to anything concrete. They will keep studying the impact that expanding the playoff from 12 to 16 or 24 teams could have on venues, the schedule, the future of now-imperiled conference title games. And, of course, how much extra games might go for on the open market. Another meeting is slated for September.
UNDATED (AP) — Kansas' Darryn Peterson headlines the top tier of one-and-done guard prospects for next week's NBA draft. Peterson is considered a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick when the first round begins Tuesday. Peterson is a combo guard who averaged 20.2 points in his lone college season. But the uncertainty about his availability while missing 11 games at Kansas is a variable for NBA teams to evaluate. The list of top guards includes Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., Illinois' Keaton Wagler, Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., and Houston's Kingston Flemings. They're all top-10 prospects.
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Angel Reese looked like a perfect fit for Atlanta when she was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Dream. After 13 games, the fit still looks perfect. As the team prepares for back-to-back games against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, Atlanta has one of the best records in the WNBA. Reese has been on a double-double tear, providing the inside presence on the boards and clutch points to keep the offense balanced even while All-Star center Brionna Jones continues to recover from a knee injury. Reese and the Dream are winning and the two-time All-Star can’t stop smiling.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Arni Sveinsson will become the first player from Iceland to tee it up at the U.S. Open on Thursday. The 19-year-old from outside of the country's capital of Reykjavík qualified earlier this month to earn his slice of history. He played a practice round Wednesday with Scottie Scheffler, Gary Woodland and Sam Burns. Burns played at LSU, the school where Sveinsson just wrapped up his junior season. Coach Jake Amos said he recruited Sveinsson because he heard good things about his work ethic and character, all of which have panned out well for the Tigers so far.
