Oregon State completes unlikely run to WCC title, lands NCAA bid
How could you not root for them?
Then, Oregon State lost to South Carolina in the Elite Eight, conference realignment left the Beavers without a real home in 2024-25, and the bottom fell out.
The top six players in minutes played transferred, including All-American Raegan Beers and three other players (Timea Gardiner, Donovyn Hunter, and Talia von Oelhoffen) who would win conference championships in 2025. They lost five of their first six games of the regular season, the lone win coming against a Division II opponent. The roster was so depleted that a walk-on was getting rotation minutes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Venezuelan Little League World Series team gets exemption to President Trump's travel ban
Youth baseball players from Venezuela, one of 19 countries on President Trump's travel ban list, have been granted a 'national exemption' to participate in this month's Little League World Series, an event official told The Athletic. Securing the exemption last week required the intervention of a Trump-aligned U.S. senator and the personal sign-off of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Advertisement Before then, the Venezuelan team's participation had been in limbo thanks to a visa process that had often been complicated by strained diplomatic relations with the United States. Venezuela's recent inclusion in the travel ban only added another layer of complexity. Last month, the policy blocked another youth baseball team from Venezuela from playing in a less prominent tournament in South Carolina, a situation that drew the ire of the St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras. In an interview on Monday, Contreras, a three-time All-Star and one of baseball's most prominent Venezuelan players, lamented the perceived fallout from the travel restrictions. 'To be treated like we are criminals here, we're not,' Contreras told The Athletic. 'We're here to provide for our family, to chase our dreams, to do the right things.' The Venezuelan Little League team learned of its exemption from the travel ban on Friday, just six days before it was scheduled to play in the tournament, which showcases players ages 10-12 and remains a signature event that is nationally televised on ESPN. 'The dream of our children will soon come true,' the team said in a translated Instagram post. 'Williamsport, here we come.' In a statement, Little League spokesman Brian McClintock said, 'We are grateful for all those who supported these players throughout this process, including the U.S. Department of State.' While the exemption was ultimately granted, it highlighted a shifting landscape for some international athletes entering the U.S. under the Trump Administration. Under the travel ban instituted in June, exemptions have been made for certain high-profile sporting events, such as the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and next year's World Cup. But those carve-outs did not cover other events like the Little League World Series. Advertisement Sen. David McCormick, a Republican elected from Pennsylvania in 2024 and a political ally of Trump's on immigration policy, offered the Venezuelan team an assist. A native of central Pennsylvania who lives less than an hour's drive from the longtime site of the tournament, Williampsort, McCormick worked with the State Department to help ensure approval of the visas. 'I am thrilled my team and I were able to play a small role in making sure young athletes are able to chase their dreams and participate in this timeless Pennsylvania tradition,' McCormick said in a statement to The Athletic. But even with McCormick's backing, securing an exemption ultimately required a green light from Rubio. 'In very limited circumstances, the Secretary may find an individual's travel would serve a United States national interest, consistent with Executive Order 14150, 'America First Policy Directive to the Secretary of State,'' a state department spokesperson said in a statement. 'These exceptions may only be approved by the Secretary of State or his designee in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security or her designee.' The visa process has typically been more complicated for Venezuela than for other teams attending the Little League World Series. In 2019, political and diplomatic tensions in the country prompted the U.S. to suspend operations at its embassy in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. Teams seeking entry to the U.S. have instead had to travel to a neighboring country, Colombia, where the capital Bogotá is hosting the diplomatic mission to Venezuela. Once there, players and staff are subjected to interviews ahead of approval. The travel ban has introduced another layer of uncertainty. On July 18, Cacique Mara, a different youth team from Venezuela, could not travel to South Carolina for the Senior League Baseball World Series (ages 13-16) after its visas were denied. In a photo of a letter from the U.S. government to the team from Cacique Mara — posted to the team's since deactivated Instagram account — the reason given was the 'Immigration and Nationality Act,' which the letter said serves to restrict 'the Entry of foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.' Advertisement 'What pisses me off is they earned the right to be here,' Contreras said of the team that was barred last month. 'They are little kids chasing dreams. I put myself in their shoes because I was a kid once, and I dreamed of being in the Little League World Series once.' Major League Baseball, which has been officially partnered with Little League International since 2017, declined to comment on that case. So did the state department, though a spokesperson noted the ability to 'make a determination regarding a national interest exception on a case-by-case basis.' Another recent exception, McClintock said, cleared the way for a different youth baseball team from Venezuela, this one from the city of Valencia, to secure visas ahead of a Little League Intermediate Tournament in Livermore, Calif. Since Trump's return to office, the Dodgers have made an official visit to the Oval Office. The league also reinstated Pete Rose from its permanently ineligible list, a move that came after Trump publicly called for it. And in the wake of Trump administration policy changes targeting such programs, MLB removed official language surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives from the league's website. Still, MLB remains the largest and most diverse baseball league in the world. Its teams employ dozens of Venezuelan players. And when the league hosts the Little League Classic between the Mets and Mariners in Williamsport on Aug. 17, the game will feature Venezuelan players like Eugenio Suárez and Francisco Alvarez. MLB officials were in communication with their Little League counterparts regarding the visa process for the Little League World Series, according to a source briefed on the matter, and offered assistance if needed. On Monday, with the Barquisimeto-based Venezuelan team now bound for historic Williamsport, Contreras made a similar offer. Advertisement 'I'm here for them,' Contreras said. 'If something happens, I want them to know not to hesitate to reach out to me. I'm outspoken for justice. They are kids chasing the dream. Their dream is to come to Williamsport. That could be my brother out there. But I'm glad everything worked out and I'm glad they're going to be allowed to come to the United States.' (Photo of 2024 LLWS signage: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
USC transfer Chad Baker-Mazara leans on his Dominican roots as he pushes to succeed
Don't call him a traveler. Chad Baker-Mazara said that his journey through four universities allowed him to land in the place he had been looking for since the beginning of his college basketball adventure. Baker-Mazara, 25, arrived at USC in May. The veteran is hoping to help lead young players in the locker room and on the court after joining his fifth team since 2020. He began his journey with at Duquesne in 2020-21, then moved on to San Diego State for the 2021-22 season in search of a better fit on the roster. He fell behind academically in San Diego and was dismissed from the team when he couldn't catch up on classwork. Baker-Mazara then traveled to the East Coast to play for Northwest Florida State College during the 2022-23 season while getting back on track academically before landing a spot on the Auburn roster during the 2023-25 seasons. It has been a unique journey, but he is confident that he will write the most important chapter of his basketball career with the Trojans during the upcoming season. Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, he grew up under the influence of his father, who played basketball for the Dominican national team and in several international leagues. From a young age, Baker-Mazara knew he wanted to play basketball. 'My dad was my first coach, my role model. Watching him play left a lasting impression on me,' Baker-Mazara told L.A. Times en Español. Although he tried other sports, including soccer and baseball, basketball was his favorite. His dream of playing at higher levels began to pick up momentum as a teenager when he moved to New Jersey. He played at Colonia High School and later at SPIRE Academy, where he began to gain national recognition. His college career has been anything but linear. He started at Duquesne, where as a freshman he averaged 9.5 points per game and had some outstanding performances. Then came his stint at San Diego State, where he was Sixth Man of the Year in the Mountain West Conference. He then dropped down to the junior college level with Northwest Florida State College and was instrumental in the team winning the NJCAA national championship. There, he exploded offensively, averaging over 15 points per game and shooting 46.9% from the three-point line. His performance opened the door to Auburn. In two seasons with the Tigers, he established himself as a starter and key player. He contributed defense, maturity and efficiency from the perimeter. In his second year, he averaged 12.3 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, helping Auburn reach the Final Four. During the semifinals against Michigan State, a hand injury temporarily halted hims plans to jump to the professional level. 'I was going to declare for the draft this year, but with the injury, I wouldn't be able to show my best,' he said. Baker-Mazara, a versatile 6-foot-7 athlete who can play guard and forward, decided to recover completely and give college basketball one last shot. After Auburn reportedly offered Baker-Mazara's teammate nearly twice as much as his name, image and likeness deal, he entered the transfer portal. USC coach Eric Musselman landed a player widely regarded as the biggest loss from an SEC roster during the offseason. 'He's a proven winner and will be a player that we can play all over the floor,' Musselman said shortly after Baker-Mazara signed with USC. '... Chad plays with incredible passion and emotion that can lift a home crowd.' Baker-Mazara considers his arrival at USC the symbolic end of a cycle. 'When I was younger, I came to visit the university with my aunt, who graduated from here,' he said. 'I saw Nikola Vucevic walking around campus and said to myself, 'I want to play here someday.'' Now that dream is a reality. He is being mentored by Musselman, who previously was an NBA head coach. Baker-Mazara is pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies with minors in sports coaching, Spanish and sociology. 'He pushes us to be united on and off the court,' Baker-Mazara said of Musselman. 'He wants there to be a real connection between us as a group. And you can tell that the guys want to compete and win together.' Baker-Mazara is working to thrive in the spotlight, not only for himself and his family but for others who might be inspired by his journey. He is proud to be a high-profile Dominican player at an American college, a space with limited Latino representation. 'Every year there are more Latinos knocking on doors,' he said. 'The important thing is that when you get there, you're not just representing your country, but the entire Latino community. I want people to understand that I'm not the same on and off the court. Out there, on the court, we are rivals. My dream is at stake, and I'm going all out. ... Many may not like my mentality because I believe that if you and I are fighting for that plate of food, I will do everything possible to prevent you from taking that plate. On the court, we are enemies.' With the unrest created by immigration raids in Southern California, Baker-Mazara wants to serve as an example of an immigrant who makes positive contributions. 'When I got here, they made it very difficult for me,' he said of his arrival in the U.S. 'They didn't want to let me play or anything like that. And I, naturally, lowered my head, focused and set my sights on myself, and look where I am now, thank God. So I tell everyone, even if it's more difficult, even if it seems impossible, try. Impossible is just a word, that's if you put it there yourself.' One of the role models Baker-Mazara admires is Hansel Emmanuel, the young Dominican who lost his left arm in an accident at the age of 6 when a wall of concrete blocks collapsed on him. Today, he competes at the highest level of college basketball. 'It was a shock to the whole country when that happened, because Hansel was always a talented kid. That accident caused a lot of noise there. From a young age, you could tell he was different,' said Baker-Mazara, who has known Emmanuel since childhood because their parents were friends. Emmanuel was not selected in the NBA draft, but he signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets. 'What I admire most about him is his mindset,' Baker-Mazara said of Emmanuel. 'He never let what might seem like a disadvantage get him down. He pushed forward and kept working. Today he is where he is because he never took no for an answer. And even though I'm older than him, I often look up to him as an example, as someone whose footsteps I want to follow.' Their relationship remains strong even though they don't talk every day. 'He's like a little brother to me,' said Baker-Mazara. 'We live 15 minutes away from each other when we're at home. He knows that with one phone call, he can count on me.' Baker-Mazara also counts Kobe Bryant as a major source of inspiration. 'Kobe died the day before my birthday,' Baker-Mazara said. 'Since that year, I haven't even celebrated that day. It was like losing a family member.' Bryant's No. 24 jersey had a profound impact on Baker-Mazara's life. 'Apart from my dad, Kobe was one of the reasons I took up basketball,' Baker-Mazara said. 'It was one of my dreams for him to come and see me play. It didn't happen, but I feel like he's here in spirit. This is his city. This is Kobe Bryant.' Baker-Mazara tries to emulate the Mamba Mentality in his daily routine, in the way he competes and faces challenges. If he doesn't make it to the NBA, Baker-Mazara plans to seek professional playing opportunities internationally. 'I come from Santo Domingo. I'm not afraid to play in any country,' he said. 'As long as I can feed my family and set an example for my little sister, I'll keep going.' This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.
NBC Sports
5 hours ago
- NBC Sports
PEACOCK AND BIG 12 PARTNER TO LIVE STREAM EXCLUSIVE SLATE OF BIG 12 MEN'S BASKETBALL REGULAR SEASON GAMES PRODUCED BY NBC SPORTS
Big 12 Conference Sent Seven Schools to 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Including National Finalist Houston The 2025-26 College Basketball Season Features Nearly 200 Men's and Women's Games Streaming Exclusively on Peacock from the Big 12, Big Ten, BIG EAST, and More, Plus the NBA (Beginning with the 2025-26 Season) and the WNBA (Beginning in 2026) STAMFORD, Conn. – Aug. 5, 2025 – Peacock will stream a slate of 20 exclusive regular-season Big 12 men's basketball games beginning in Fall 2025 as part of a multi-year agreement announced today by NBC Sports and the Big 12 Conference. Each season, Peacock's Big 12 men's basketball schedule will include 20 conference and non-conference matchups. Along with the Big 12, NBC Sports' 2025-26 college basketball schedule will feature nearly 200 men's and women's games from the Big Ten, the BIG EAST, and more, many of which will be presented exclusively on Peacock. Beginning in the Fall, NBCUniversal will also be home to live NBA (2025-26) and WNBA (2026) coverage. Big 12 men's basketball joins Peacock's expansive live sports offering alongside the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sunday Night Football (primetime television's No. 1 show for an unprecedented 14 consecutive seasons), Big Ten football and basketball, BIG EAST men's and women's basketball, Notre Dame Football, the NBA beginning in 2025-26, the WNBA beginning in 2026, Premier League, La Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel. Peacock has exclusively streamed several notable sports industry milestones in recent years, including the first-ever streaming-exclusive NFL Playoff game in January 2024, which broke records as the biggest live streamed event in U.S. media history at the time; Caitlin Clark's NCAA women's all-time scoring record-breaking game in February 2024; and the award-winning presentation of the 2024 Paris Olympics, presenting more than 5,000 hours of live sports in intuitive and engaging new ways. Peacock attracts nearly 100 million monthly active users, according to comScore. The Big 12 sent seven teams to the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, including conference champion and regional No. 1-seed Houston, No. 3-seeds Iowa State and Texas Tech, No. 4-seed Arizona, No. 6-seed BYU, No. 7-seed Kansas, and No. 9-seed Baylor. The 2024-25 season marked the 11th consecutive tournament where the Big 12 earned at least six bids, and four Big 12 teams (Houston, Texas Tech, Arizona, and BYU) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2002. Big 12 champion Houston advanced to this year's Final Four in San Antonio, the Cougars' second appearance in the last five seasons. This season marked the fifth time in the last seven NCAA Men's Tournament that the Big 12 has been represented in the Final Four. A Big 12 school has won two of the last five NCAA Championships (Kansas in 2022, Baylor in 2021). 'The Big 12 is thrilled to partner with NBC Sports and Peacock as we continue to expand access and coverage of Big 12 men's basketball,' said Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. 'Alongside our portfolio of existing media partners, NBC Sports and Peacock will provide our league with unprecedented promotion and storytelling.' 'The Big 12 is one of the most successful conferences in college basketball, enjoying a recent run of excellence on top of a storied history for many of its prestigious programs,' said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. 'We look forward to partnering with the Big 12 to showcase its top-tier college basketball players, teams, and rivalries, and promoting our slate of men's games on Peacock alongside NBC Sports' extensive portfolio of college sports and world-class events.' ABOUT THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE The Big 12 is in its 30th year as one of the nation's premier conferences in college athletics under the leadership of Commissioner Brett Yormark. Since joining the Conference in August 2022, Yormark has elevated the Big 12 to new heights, emphasizing marketing, brand building and instilling an innovative strategy that has resonated across the college athletics landscape. Starting Aug. 2, 2024, the Conference is composed of 16 universities spanning 10 states and four time zones. The Big 12 members include Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah and West Virginia. The Big 12 began play in 1996 and is the home of 89 team NCAA national championships, and 764 individual national champions. The Big 12 Conference office is located in Irving, Texas. ABOUT NBC SPORTS NBC Sports connects sports fans to the moments that matter most with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports produces, programs, and promotes premier content across numerous linear and digital platforms, including NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering and presenting many of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, Big Ten Conference, Big East Conference, Notre Dame, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, USGA, PGA of America, The R&A, Churchill Downs, Premier League, and many more. It is renowned for making big events bigger and has produced some of the most-watched sporting events in U.S. media history, including Olympic Games, Super Bowls, and Sunday Night Football, primetime television's No. 1 show for 14 consecutive years.
