Latest news with #Commodores
Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Vanderbilt Football Predictions: Commodores Ranked 36th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
College Football 2025 Vanderbilt Football Predictions: Commodores Ranked 36th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 9:23 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where Vanderbilt lands in my Ultimate 136. Vanderbilt Commodores ranking: 36 Last year's ranking: 99 Top player: QB Diego Pavia: Set school records for fewest interceptions (4) (min. 250 attempts) and rushing yards by a quarterback (801). [Vanderbilt's 2025 schedule] RJ's take: Vanderbilt beat a No. 1-ranked team for the first time in school history last year, and the fact that it came against Alabama made it that much sweeter. This is a program that has been ranked a total of seven weeks in nearly 70 years. They were voted into the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2013 last October, and Clark Lea has a better roster this year than last year. ADVERTISEMENT Pavia returns for one more year, his sixth of college football, and will do it as the only man in history to win Conference USA Player of the Year and SEC Newcomer of the Year. His partnership with tight end Eli Stowers will prove as crucial for Vandy as Carson Beck's with Brock Bowers was at Georgia in 2023. If the tandem can be All-SEC players again — Pavia was a second-team selection and Stowers was a first-team pick — Vandy can prove that last year was no fluke and that seven wins is the new normal in Nashville. A kind schedule is also in the offering. The Commodores will play against just two teams that made the College Football Playoff last year (Texas and Tennessee) and will play SEC foes LSU and Missouri at home. [Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here] Vanderbilt Win Total Odds: Over 4.5 (-188) Under 4.5 (+152) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football Vanderbilt Commodores share
Express Tribune
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Wimbledon — the glitz, the glam, the hypocrisy
The writer takes interest in humanism and futurology. He has an MS from Houston and DDS from Nashville, Tennessee. He can be reached at bhasnain@ Listen to article Breakfast at Wimbledon' is a long-cherished tradition in sports. Here in America, as in London and across the globe, we can't wait to pour cream over strawberries or enjoy scones with hot tea or English muffins or even have Bangers and Mash. As the Commodores would say, "It's easy like Sunday morning." But for the die-hard tennis fans in Pakistan, it's "Dinner at Wimbledon." This year was no different. We lounged in front of our big screen TV sets. We picked our favourites. It was Carlos Alcaraz defending his title against Jannik Sinner. These two youngsters, the new kids on the block, have raised the level of competition to new heights. In an epic battle, Jannik Sinner outplayed Carlos Alcaraz defeating him in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, avenging his defeat in the French Open final earlier this year. A slew of Hollywood celebrities attended the final match. Keira Knightly, Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman, as well as London's Mayor Sadiq Khan were seated in the Royal Box. Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, presented the trophies to the winner and the runner-up. But beyond the glitz and the glam, hidden from our view and undetected from all the camera angles, lies the shameless hypocrisy of the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club that organises this tournament. In 2022, the club banned players from Russia and Belarus from participating in Wimbledon in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The ban was lifted in 2023, but in subsequent tournaments, players from Russia and Belarus have been forced to play in Wimbledon as "neutrals" as if they don't belong to any country. This includes the Russian players Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev as well as the world number one female tennis player, Aryna Sabalenka, who hails from Belarus. The All-England Club justified its apparently discriminatory decision "to prevent the Russian regime from using the tournament for propaganda purposes". Supporters of the decision argued that "it was a necessary step to condemn Russia's actions and show solidarity with Ukraine." Critics of the double standard argued that "it is discriminatory to punish individual athletes for the actions of their governments." What about the tennis players from the USA and Great Britain? After all, the United States, along with its ally, Great Britain, invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003 - and that too under false pretenses. Both countries have a chilling history of military interventions in foreign lands and territories. The British Empire is known to have established colonies from North America to South Africa, and beyond. In 1877, Queen Victoria imposed herself as the Empress of India. The British Empire not only stole billions (if not trillions as reported) from India, they subjected the local population to heinous and barbaric crimes. In the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919, for example, Gen Dyer who was commanding the British Indian Army ordered opening fire on a peaceful gathering of unarmed Indians who had gathered to protest against the colonial rule. Over one thousand innocent people died that day. In short, athletes from the USA and Great Britain are not to be discriminated at Wimbledon as those from Russia and Belarus. That's that.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top Vanderbilt baseball prospects to know for 2025 MLB Draft
Vanderbilt baseball has several players likely to be selected in the 2025 MLB Draft. The Commodores have had at least four players selected in every draft since 2004. In 2024, Vanderbilt did not have a first-round pick for the first time since 2018 but had seven players selected overall, including six in the top 10 rounds. Vanderbilt is likely to see 4-6 players selected from the 2025 roster. Several incoming high school signees could be selected as well. Here are the top names with Commodores ties to watch for: Top Vanderbilt baseball prospects for 2025 MLB Draft LHP JD Thompson MLB Pipeline rank: No. 66 Thompson was seen as a likely second-round pick entering the season and his stock remained there as he put up similar numbers to 2024, albeit this time in a Friday night role. In three seasons with the Commodores, Thompson put up a 4.28 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 164 career innings. In 2025, he tied for seventh nationally with 122 strikeouts. Thompson's fastball, which gets up to 96 mph, is his best pitch, and he's an above-average strike-thrower as well. Most believe Thompson lands in the second round, the same range where teammates Bryce Cunningham and Carter Holton went a year ago. OF RJ Austin MLB Pipeline rank: No. 112 After a strong sophomore season that saw him hit .335 while leading the SEC in stolen bases, Austin regressed in his junior year to numbers more similar to what he put up as a freshman. He hit .257 with just two home runs. The good news is that he proved he can play center field, even winning the Rawlings Gold Glove award in his first year at the position. Although that has hurt Austin's draft stock, most believe that Austin's athleticism and defensive ability will get him selected in the fourth or fifth round. RHP Cody Bowker MLB Pipeline rank: No. 187 Bowker's stock is a bit polarizing, as some analysts see him as worthy of a top-five round pick, while others think he belongs in the back half of the top 10 rounds. After transferring from Georgetown, Bowker had a successful season in Vanderbilt's rotation. He took every turn in the rotation and had a 4.38 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 72 innings. His fastball is his best pitch, getting up to 95 mph from a low arm slot. But he had trouble going deep into games, as he completed five innings in just five of his 16 starts. RHP Sawyer Hawks MLB Pipeline rank: No. 225 Hawks is an under-the-radar prospect despite receiving multiple All-American nods after a season in which he had a 1.60 ERA, a 4-0 record and eight saves in 18 appearances, with a 59-11 strikeout to walk ratio. After transferring from Air Force, then missing most of 2024 with injury, Hawks remade his pitch mix in 2025 to include a fastball, slider and changeup along with his curve. He likely fits in rounds 6-10. 1B Riley Nelson MLB Pipeline rank: Unranked Nelson has a decision to make, as there will certainly be pro teams interested in him, but will they be interested enough to buy him out of a senior year? Nelson was Vanderbilt's best hitter in 2025, hitting .344 with a 34:36 walk-to-strikeout ratio, and he performed just as well in SEC play. But he doesn't have big power (eight home runs) and MLB teams often shy away from first basemen without double-digit homers. ROSTER RESET What Tim Corbin's 2026 Vanderbilt baseball roster looks like before MLB draft, after transfer portal deadline Top 2025 MLB Draft prospects among Vanderbilt baseball signees RHP Seth Hernandez MLB Pipeline rank: No. 3 Hernandez, a pitcher whose fastball touches 98 mph, is seen by some as a top-five talent and by others as a mid-first rounder. Either way, Hernandez won't make it to campus, barring an unexpected development. OF Slater de Brun MLB Pipeline rank: No. 24 de Brun is a 5-foot-9 center fielder who projects as a leadoff profile. He's a spark plug type that Vanderbilt has traditionally loved, but the pros love him too, and he's seen as a likely first-round pick. If he does go in the first round, he won't make it to campus. OF Sean Gamble MLB Pipeline rank: No. 27 Gamble is already 19 and is seen as being less polished than some of the other top high-school prospects, so he has a lower draft stock than de Brun and thus more likelihood of going to school. However, some still view Gamble as a first-round pick. SS Cooper Flemming MLB Pipeline rank: No. 82 Through most of the spring, Flemming has been viewed as likely to go to school, but he's risen late up draft boards with some even believing he could go in the first round. He's a 6-3, left-handed hitting shortstop, but he needs to add weight to become the best version of himself. LHP Talon Haley MLB Pipeline rank: No. 91 Haley is a polished left-hander with a low-90s fastball and a good curveball, but he is one of the oldest high-school prospects in the class and has an extreme injury history. He's a second- or third-rounder on talent, but age and concerns about the medicals could lead teams to shy away. Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@ or on X @aria_gerson. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt baseball MLB Draft prospects to know for 2025
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vanderbilt football lands commitment from OL Mitchell Smith
Mississippi high school senior Mitchell Smith has committed to Vanderbilt football according to 247Sports. He is the third offensive lineman to commit to Vanderbilt for the 2026 recruiting class. Smith, who attends Picayune Memorial High School, made the announcement on July 4. According to 247Sports, the three-star OL is ranked No. 21 in the 2026 Mississippi recruiting class and No. 81 in the 2026 offensive tackle recruiting class. Advertisement Smith made his top three schools known, choosing between Alabama, Florida State, and his ultimate choice, Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-6, 320-pound athlete secured 23 offers total, including ones from LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, USC, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Clemson. According to 247Sports, the Picayune native has two-way player experience on the offensive and defensive side of the football. Smith is now the second offensive lineman to commit to the Commodores this week. Kent Denver School offensive tackle Tripp Skewes committed to Vandy on July 1. The Commodores also landed first OL to commit, center George Haseotes from the Community School of Naples. Advertisement This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football: Mitchell Smith, Mississippi OL commits for 2026 class
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Forward Khamil Pierre no longer member of Vanderbilt women's basketball team
Khamil Pierre is no longer a member of the Vanderbilt women's team, it was announced. The rising junior averaged 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds this past season. The forward was the team's second-leading scorer. Advertisement Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph put out a statement on June 30. "Khamil is a great player and I have no doubt she will have success in the future," Ralph stated. "Ultimately, it was determined it would be best for Khamil and our program to go in different directions. We wish her the best of luck." Pierre started and played in 32 games this past season and helped lead the Commodores to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. She recorded a career-high 42 points against Evansville on Dec. 14, 2024. In the 2023-24 season, she was a five-time SEC Freshman of the Week and named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team. Advertisement Alaina Morris is the summer sports intern for The Tennessean. Contact her at amorris@ or on X @alainammorris. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Forward Khamil Pierre no longer on Vanderbilt women's basketball team
