Notre Dame football inches closer to the nation's top overall 2026 recruiting class
Notre Dame football inches closer to the nation's top overall 2026 recruiting class
Notre Dame football has been on quite a recruiting run over the past month-plus, and it didn't stop when the calendar turned over to May with the pledge of 2026 Texas running back Javian Osborne on Saturday evening.
The commitment now makes it No. 14 of the class, one that is closing in on the top group in the country. According to the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings, Notre Dame now has the No. 2 overall class nationally, trailing just USC for the top overall spot.
There is a caveat to this, as the Trojans have thirteen more commitments that the Irish at this moment, and you have to believe that as more time passes, Notre Dame will have a chance to leap over one of its biggest rivals.
Notre Dame has been in this situation before, with its class nearing the top of the rankings, but this time it feels drastically different. This is not about the volume that the Irish have accumulated, it's more about the talent they have in the class.
Currently the Irish have an average of 92.14 points-per-commit, one of the top numbers in the country and just above what USC has. Notre Dame has staying power in the 2026 class to end up with a top group, one that could be head coach Marcus Freeman's best since he took over the program.
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Fox Sports
33 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Brothers bring boxing back to Fenway after 70 years and hope to revitalize the sport in Boston
Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — For the first time in nearly 70 years, boxing is returning to Boston's famed Fenway Park. The 11-fight card is the culmination of years of effort by twin brothers and longtime public schoolteachers who grew up in Watertown and want to revitalize boxing in the city that was home to some of the greatest athletes in the sport's history. It's also symbolic of a shift back to the roots of the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, to when it wasn't just used for Red Sox games but for other sports and political events. 'Most people's experience there is solely related to baseball,' said Richard Johnson, Fenway expert and curator at The Sports Museum in Boston. "But the fact is that this year, you can see an event that'll be very similar to what your grandparents saw.' Promoters Mark and Matt Nolan want 'Fight Night at Fenway,' scheduled for Saturday, to be both a time capsule and time machine, taking spectators back to boxing's glory days and what the sport can be for the city in the future. The Nolans got their license to organize fights last year with the goal of bringing boxing back to Boston. After Fenway, 'That's mission accomplished," Matt Nolan said. 'It's not just like our dream, it's everybody's dream — every boxer on planet Earth,' he said. 'Just the idea that some kid can fight his way to Fenway Park. It's like hitting the lottery. You can't you can't beat it. There's nothing comparable." A rich history Boston has played a long and impressive role in American boxing history and the development of the sport itself, said Johnson, author of 'Field of Our Fathers, An Illustrated History of Fenway Park." The city was home to 'Boston's Strong Boy,' John L. Sullivan, born in 1858 to Irish immigrant parents and widely considered America's first sports superstar. The first heavyweight champion of the world, he was as famous as Muhammad Ali was in his time. Sam Langford, a Black Canadian-born boxer, moved to Boston as a teenager but was blocked from competing in the world championships by racist policies and is considered one of the greatest non-champions in boxing. Other boxing stars with Boston connections include Marvin Hagler and Rocky Marciano of nearby Brockton. 'The Boston Bomber' Tony DeMarco, whose statue raises his fists at passersby in Boston's North End, was the last fighter to win in the ring at Fenway in 1956. For a time after it was built, Fenway Park was the only outdoor venue with a significant seating capacity in Boston, making it a destination for all kinds of events, including boxing starting in 1920. After new owners took over in 2002, the park became a venue for a variety of activities, including concerts and sporting events such as hockey, snowboarding, Irish football and curling. 'Back in the day, it was sort of the Swiss Army knife of sports facilities in Boston. And it's returned to that — a little bit of everything. So, returning boxing to the park is just a nod to the past," Johnson said. Other venues can feel 'more corporate and sterile," but Fenway is living history, said Johnson, who calls it the 'largest open-air museum in New England.' A different pitch Mark Nolan said it's not for lack of trying that no one has hosted a boxing fight at Fenway in almost 70 years. But many promoters couldn't make a pitch that landed with ballpark management. The Nolans, who teach full time and own a boxing gym in Waltham where people can train regardless of their ability to pay, were different. After success hosting events at other venues, Mark Nolan said Fenway Sports Group connected to their 'everyman' appeal and decided to give them a shot. The brothers fell in love with boxing while accompanying their father, a boat captain, to the gym as kids. When they expanded from coaching amateur boxers to professionals five years ago, they were dismayed by what they found: shows full of uneven fights set up to make the promoters as much money as possible, with established amateurs fighting people who 'have no right putting gloves on in any capacity whatsoever' in venues like high school gymnasiums. Fighters weren't being paid fairly and contracts weren't transparent. They came up with a simple business plan: pick good venues, pay fighters well and only host matches in Boston proper. They said a lot of promoters sell fighters, but they're focused on selling fights fans want to see. 'They're making sure that every fight is well-matched," said Thomas "The Kid" O'Toole, a fighter from rural Galway, Ireland, who has lived in Boston for the past two years, 'Nobody wants to see someone go in and just knock their opponent out right away and beat them up for four, six, eight rounds. They want to see a competitive fight.' O'Toole went professional in 2021 and is undefeated with 13 fights. He said his fight against St. Louis-born Vaughn 'Da Animal' Alexander at Fenway will be "the biggest test of his career." Massachusetts-born Lexi 'Lil Savage" Bolduc will compete in her fourth professional fight. She faces Sarah Couillard in a rematch after coming out on the losing end of a majority draw at the Royale. 'Fighting at Fenway, I think adds a little bit of pressure because I'm local, I grew up in Mass and idolized a lot of players as I was growing up. ... But at the same time, I'm trying to use it just as a huge opportunity and really soak in the moment," she said. "Pressure makes diamonds. 'To be able to kind of stand on that same ground of some of the most accomplished athletes, it's really remarkable," she said.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Brothers bring boxing back to Fenway after 70 years and hope to revitalize the sport in Boston
Tony Demarco is lifted by trainer Sammy Fuller following his unanimous 10-round decision over Vince Martinez at Fenway Park, June 16, 1956, in Boston. (AP Photo/File) Tony Demarco is lifted by trainer Sammy Fuller following his unanimous 10-round decision over Vince Martinez at Fenway Park, June 16, 1956, in Boston. (AP Photo/File) BOSTON (AP) — For the first time in nearly 70 years, boxing is returning to Boston's famed Fenway Park. The 11-fight card is the culmination of years of effort by twin brothers and longtime public schoolteachers who grew up in Watertown and want to revitalize boxing in the city that was home to some of the greatest athletes in the sport's history. Advertisement It's also symbolic of a shift back to the roots of the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, to when it wasn't just used for Red Sox games but for other sports and political events. 'Most people's experience there is solely related to baseball,' said Richard Johnson, Fenway expert and curator at The Sports Museum in Boston. "But the fact is that this year, you can see an event that'll be very similar to what your grandparents saw.' Promoters Mark and Matt Nolan want 'Fight Night at Fenway,' scheduled for Saturday, to be both a time capsule and time machine, taking spectators back to boxing's glory days and what the sport can be for the city in the future. The Nolans got their license to organize fights last year with the goal of bringing boxing back to Boston. After Fenway, 'That's mission accomplished," Matt Nolan said. Advertisement 'It's not just like our dream, it's everybody's dream — every boxer on planet Earth,' he said. 'Just the idea that some kid can fight his way to Fenway Park. It's like hitting the lottery. You can't you can't beat it. There's nothing comparable." A rich history Boston has played a long and impressive role in American boxing history and the development of the sport itself, said Johnson, author of 'Field of Our Fathers, An Illustrated History of Fenway Park." The city was home to 'Boston's Strong Boy,' John L. Sullivan, born in 1858 to Irish immigrant parents and widely considered America's first sports superstar. The first heavyweight champion of the world, he was as famous as Muhammad Ali was in his time. Advertisement Sam Langford, a Black Canadian-born boxer, moved to Boston as a teenager but was blocked from competing in the world championships by racist policies and is considered one of the greatest non-champions in boxing. Other boxing stars with Boston connections include Marvin Hagler and Rocky Marciano of nearby Brockton. 'The Boston Bomber' Tony DeMarco, whose statue raises his fists at passersby in Boston's North End, was the last fighter to win in the ring at Fenway in 1956. For a time after it was built, Fenway Park was the only outdoor venue with a significant seating capacity in Boston, making it a destination for all kinds of events, including boxing starting in 1920. After new owners took over in 2002, the park became a venue for a variety of activities, including concerts and sporting events such as hockey, snowboarding, Irish football and curling. Advertisement 'Back in the day, it was sort of the Swiss Army knife of sports facilities in Boston. And it's returned to that — a little bit of everything. So, returning boxing to the park is just a nod to the past," Johnson said. Other venues can feel 'more corporate and sterile," but Fenway is living history, said Johnson, who calls it the 'largest open-air museum in New England.' A different pitch Mark Nolan said it's not for lack of trying that no one has hosted a boxing fight at Fenway in almost 70 years. But many promoters couldn't make a pitch that landed with ballpark management. The Nolans, who teach full time and own a boxing gym in Waltham where people can train regardless of their ability to pay, were different. After success hosting events at other venues, Mark Nolan said Fenway Sports Group connected to their 'everyman' appeal and decided to give them a shot. Advertisement The brothers fell in love with boxing while accompanying their father, a boat captain, to the gym as kids. When they expanded from coaching amateur boxers to professionals five years ago, they were dismayed by what they found: shows full of uneven fights set up to make the promoters as much money as possible, with established amateurs fighting people who 'have no right putting gloves on in any capacity whatsoever' in venues like high school gymnasiums. Fighters weren't being paid fairly and contracts weren't transparent. They came up with a simple business plan: pick good venues, pay fighters well and only host matches in Boston proper. They said a lot of promoters sell fighters, but they're focused on selling fights fans want to see. 'They're making sure that every fight is well-matched," said Thomas "The Kid" O'Toole, a fighter from rural Galway, Ireland, who has lived in Boston for the past two years, 'Nobody wants to see someone go in and just knock their opponent out right away and beat them up for four, six, eight rounds. They want to see a competitive fight.' Advertisement O'Toole went professional in 2021 and is undefeated with 13 fights. He said his fight against St. Louis-born Vaughn 'Da Animal' Alexander at Fenway will be "the biggest test of his career." Massachusetts-born Lexi 'Lil Savage" Bolduc will compete in her fourth professional fight. She faces Sarah Couillard in a rematch after coming out on the losing end of a majority draw at the Royale. 'Fighting at Fenway, I think adds a little bit of pressure because I'm local, I grew up in Mass and idolized a lot of players as I was growing up. ... But at the same time, I'm trying to use it just as a huge opportunity and really soak in the moment," she said. "Pressure makes diamonds. 'To be able to kind of stand on that same ground of some of the most accomplished athletes, it's really remarkable," she said.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Texas routs Texas Tech to secure first Women's College World Series title in program history
The Texas Longhorns won the Women's College World Series in dominant fashion, blowing out Texas Tech 10-4 in Friday's winner-take-all Game 3 to clinch the program's first-ever national championship in softball. Despite Red Raiders superstar pitcher NiJaree Canady returning to the pitcher's mound after her complete-game win on Thursday, the Longhorns did not back down from the challenge to face one of softball's best players. Texas lit up the junior righthander, scoring five runs in the first inning, knocking the 21-year-old, two-time first team All-American out of the game early. A dejected Canady, who made national headlines earlier on Friday, after signing a second $1 million-plus NIL deal to keep her in Lubbock, Texas, for her senior year, according to the Associated Press, allowed the most runs in an inning in her illustrious career that started at Stanford. After left fielder Katie Stewart added another Texas run to extend the lead to 6-0 in the third inning, it was third baseman Mia Scott who made the biggest name for herself. In the fourth inning, the senior mashed a grand slam to break the game open with a 10-0 lead. Scott garnered the respect of Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback and Texas Tech alum Patrick Mahomes, who was at Devon Park in Oklahoma City watching his alma mater along with his wife, Brittany. 3rd baseman for Texas is cold.. Like Mahomes has done many times in his career, the Red Raiders put forth a valid effort to get back into the game. Tech scored three runs in the fifth inning while adding another in the seventh inning, but it proved to be too little, too late after Longhorns starting pitcher Teagan Kavan got Lauren Allred to ground out to seal the victory. Texas players rushed the mound to embrace Kavan, who threw a masterful complete game, striking out three and allowing eight hits. The sophomore said being able to get the final out for the team 'meant the world.' 'I'm so happy for this team,' Kavan told the ESPN broadcast. 'We did it. First Natty. Let's go! My grandma, the last thing she told my brother – one of the last things was to bring home a victory and we did that for her.' Texas head coach Mike White said that it was 'surreal' to finally be lifting the trophy after coming to the school ahead of the 2019 season. 'I can't believe its happened. … For us to come out on top tonight – we're so close to being knocked out. I am speechless to tell you the truth. It doesn't happen very often. But I am so proud of our ladies.' Texas had lost to Oklahoma in the championship series two of the last three years. The Sooners, who were looking to win their fifth straight title, were defeated by the Longhorns earlier in the tournament. White added that 'in order to be the best, you got to beat the best' while calling Canady 'tough and special.'
