Latest news with #BigSkyConference
New York Post
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
St. John's snags Big Sky MVP Dylan Darling in latest transfer portal coup
St. John's has landed yet another player in the transfer portal as it continues to build its roster for next season. Point guard Dylan Darling has committed to playing at St. John's next season, he announced in a post on Instagram late Thursday night after spending last season at Idaho State. Darling was one of the top scorers in the Big Sky Conference — averaging 19.8 points and 5.7 assists per game — and was named conference Most Valuable Player last season while playing for the Bengals. Dylan Darling, who averaged 19.8 points and 5.7 assists per game last season at Idaho State, is joining St. John's. Getty Images Advertisement He entered the portal on April 7 and drew interest from schools in the SEC. Indiana reportedly was among the schools in contact with Darling.
USA Today
23-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan State women's basketball adding Montana State transfer Marah Dykstra
Michigan State women's basketball adding Montana State transfer Marah Dykstra Michigan State women's basketball continues to reload through the transfer portal, where they have already added Purdue transfer Rashunda Jones and Arizona State leading scorer Jalyn Brown. On Wednesday, it was announced that the Spartans will also add Montana State transfer Marah Dykstra to their rebooted roster. Dykstra was a key member of the 2024-25 Montana State team that won the Big Sky Conference and made it to the NCAA Tournament. She is very familiar with a major MSU rival, Ohio State, who the Bobcats lost to in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Dykstra, a 6'2" forward who played three seasons at Montana State, averaged 12.4 points and 4.4 rebounds last year for the Bobcats while shooting 46.9-percent from the floor and 82.6-percent from the free-throw line. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Montana colleges could directly pay student-athletes under NIL bills
The University of Montana campus is pictured. (Jordan Hansen / Daily Montanan) Two bills regulating student-athlete compensation at colleges across the state are headed to the governor's desk after passage through the Montana Legislature on Friday. Senate Bill 482 requires written contracts for student-athlete usage of their name, image and likeness, while Senate Bill 271 removes an existing prohibition on schools directly paying student-athletes. Sen. Ellie Boldman, D-Missoula introduced both bills, which she said will allow Montana's largest schools to be competitive in the Big Sky Conference. She also brought the state's original NIL legislation in 2021. 'If folks do care about the nuance, it actually puts more side rails on NIL for student athletes,' Boldman said in a committee hearing on both bills on April 7. 'The university themselves will have a little bit more control over making sure that student athletes understand their contractual agreements and make sure that they're not taken advantage of in the private sector.' On SB 482, Boldman said, 'We just want to make sure if you're going to offer our student athletes a deal, it's got to be in writing.' The new law rolls back previous laws that specifically prohibited Montana universities and colleges from paying their student-athletes. As an example, some colleges have begun to place student-athletes names on the back of jerseys sold to fans — the players then get a cut of that revenue. Institutions are already allowed to act as agents or add name, image and likeness agreements to scholarship agreements. The legislation does not change outside endorsement deals, though does formalize those agreements in writing, meaning a verbal agreement does not constitute a legally binding contract. 'This is about fairness, opportunity, and keeping Montana competitive,' Boldman said in a press release. Montana has three schools that compete in the NCAA: The University of Montana, Montana State University and Montana State University-Billings. Similar discussions have occurred at the federal level, and a federal court is expected to soon rule on a $2.8 billion antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA which, if found against the athletics organizations, could allow student-athletes to have revenue sharing agreements and provide backpay. Boldman said her bills will allow Montana student athletes to take part in the settlement. 'We want our student athletes to be able to opt into that settlement, which will then entitle them to some additional compensation,' Boldman said. Representatives from Montana and Montana State both testified in support of the bill during its hearing. 'We have the compliance and support staff here to navigate this constantly changing landscape, and this change gives us the certainty we need to act within the bounds of state law,' UM spokesperson Dave Kuntz said during the hearing for SB 271. 'With other legislative bodies around the region making similar changes, this bill will help ensure campus policies remain in line with our regional competitors as well.' Beyond the NCAA schools in the state, the six Montana schools whose athletic teams belong to the Frontier Conference in the NAIA could also be impacted. In 2020, the NAIA passed name, image and likeness rules for its member schools. It allowed athletes to be paid, but, Montana Tech men's basketball head coach Adam Hiatt said, 'the NAIA legislation did not intend to allow schools to pay student-athletes directly for NIL purposes.' He added some Tech student-athletes have been able to take advantage of agreements for their name, image and likeness. He said there's no plan to pay players through the school until the NAIA changes its policies. Montana Tech athletic director Matt Stepan said the university is reviewing the legislation to see how it will impact them. 'While the new legislation may not have an immediate or direct effect on our recruiting efforts, changes of this nature often create ripple effects throughout college athletics,' Stepan said. 'We'll be monitoring the situation closely to determine any indirect implications for NAIA institutions and student-athletes.' The Frontier Conference includes Treasure State schools Montana Tech, University of Montana Western, Carroll College, University of Providence, Montana State University-Northern and Rocky Mountain College.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trans activist clashes with Dr. Phil, claiming it is 'dangerous' to test athletes to ensure they aren't males
A transgender activist grew visibly angry with talk show host Dr. Phil after he used charts to show that biologically-male athletes have physical advantages over biological women. America has been in a long political battle over whether athletes born as biological males should be allowed to compete in women's sports. Most recently, politicians have feuded over the Save Women's Sports Act that would ban trans athletes from women's sports. Dr. Phil spoke with a transgender activist named Blossom, who argued in favor of transgender women being included in women's sports. The activist argued that even people of the same biological sex may vary in terms of chemistry and bone density, and that all in all, this entire controversy is being stirred up over a statistically tiny number of transgender athletes. "I think it's very dangerous when we put all women in a position to be tested to prove that they're not trans, and that executive order that Donald Trump signed is nothing more than waste and fraud, in my opinion," the activist said. Maine Girl Involved In Trans Athlete Battle Reveals How State's Policies Hurt Her Childhood And Sports Career "You're only signing for 0.002% of the population. You are subjecting all women, whether they're cis or trans, to rigorous tests to prove that they are not trans in order for them to play," Blossom added. Read On The Fox News App Dr. Phil replied, "I don't think it's so much the number of trans athletes, because there can be one athlete that can come into a conference like the Big Sky Conference, for example, and when they come into the Big Sky Conference, that one athlete can really erase a lot of really hard work and devotion and sacrifice that dozens, hundreds of women have spent years working on to achieve athletic heights." The host then noted that scientific fact is "not a matter of opinion," showing how men on statistical average have attributes such as superior grip strength, superior total upper body strength, and higher vertical jumps. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture "Respectfully Dr. Phil, I'm gonna need you to have several seats. Let's be clear, trans women, again, are women," Blossom said, appearing to grow frustrated. "What you're showing me are male statistics and trans women are not males. Everything that I say can actually be proven, it's scientifically proven, and I would inquire you to do research on what you're saying, because again it's almost like you're trying to call trans-women men and that is not what trans-women are." The activist went on to criticize Dr. Phil, claiming of his statements, "It sounds like conservative propaganda, and I think you have drunk the Kool-Aid and have gotten lost in the sauce." Blossom went on to suggest instead that Dr. Phil should show statistics comparing transgender women with cis-women, otherwise, "I think that it is baloney and propaganda."Original article source: Trans activist clashes with Dr. Phil, claiming it is 'dangerous' to test athletes to ensure they aren't males
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trans activist clashes with Dr. Phil, claiming it is 'dangerous' to test athletes to ensure they aren't males
A transgender activist grew visibly angry with talk show host Dr. Phil after he used charts to show that biologically-male athletes have physical advantages over biological women. America has been in a long political battle over whether athletes born as biological males should be allowed to compete in women's sports. Most recently, politicians have feuded over the Save Women's Sports Act that would ban trans athletes from women's sports. Dr. Phil spoke with a transgender activist named Blossom, who argued in favor of transgender women being included in women's sports. The activist argued that even people of the same biological sex may vary in terms of chemistry and bone density, and that all in all, this entire controversy is being stirred up over a statistically tiny number of transgender athletes. "I think it's very dangerous when we put all women in a position to be tested to prove that they're not trans, and that executive order that Donald Trump signed is nothing more than waste and fraud, in my opinion," the activist said. "You're only signing for 0.002% of the population. You are subjecting all women, whether they're cis or trans, to rigorous tests to prove that they are not trans in order for them to play," Blossom added. Dr. Phil replied, "I don't think it's so much the number of trans athletes, because there can be one athlete that can come into a conference like the Big Sky Conference, for example, and when they come into the Big Sky Conference, that one athlete can really erase a lot of really hard work and devotion and sacrifice that dozens, hundreds of women have spent years working on to achieve athletic heights." The host then noted that scientific fact is "not a matter of opinion," showing how men on statistical average have attributes such as superior grip strength, superior total upper body strength, and higher vertical jumps. "Respectfully Dr. Phil, I'm gonna need you to have several seats. Let's be clear, trans women, again, are women," Blossom said, appearing to grow frustrated. "What you're showing me are male statistics and trans women are not males. Everything that I say can actually be proven, it's scientifically proven, and I would inquire you to do research on what you're saying, because again it's almost like you're trying to call trans-women men and that is not what trans-women are." The activist went on to criticize Dr. Phil, claiming of his statements, "It sounds like conservative propaganda, and I think you have drunk the Kool-Aid and have gotten lost in the sauce." Blossom went on to suggest instead that Dr. Phil should show statistics comparing transgender women with cis-women, otherwise, "I think that it is baloney and propaganda."
