Latest news with #Huskies'
Boston Globe
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Behind elite pitching and unwavering confidence, Northeastern baseball enters NCAA Tournament as nation's hottest team
'I think it's just all excitement,' said Northeastern's Mike Glavine, who was named CAA Coach of the Year last week for the fifth time. 'That's the beautiful thing about the regionals, you're probably going to run into somebody that's highly ranked, tough to beat ... It's just going to be a great challenge. I think overall, the overwhelming feeling is just excitement.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up There are a few other New England schools in the NCAA Tournament, with Holy Cross, Rhode Island, Fairfield, and Central Connecticut State in the mix, but its Northeastern that has shown the potential to make a serious run. Advertisement The Huskies have dominated behind an elite three-man rotation of Massachusetts natives: Hamilton's Will Jones, Acton's Jordan Gottesman, and Lynn's Aiven Cabral. Northeastern has posted the nation's best ERA (2.92) and WHIP (1.04), each by a wide margin, and the Huskies' 17 shutouts are as many as the next two best teams combined. Advertisement Jones has been the ace in a stunning breakout season for the lefthander, a campaign that has seen his 5.23 ERA in 2024 drop to a miniscule 1.82, second-best in the country. With the stakes raised, Glavine isn't messing with the formula. 'I think that'll be the biggest thing: not changing [anything],' he said. 'We've changed in the past, haven't had success in the regionals for all kinds of reasons — probably all mostly my fault — because of changing and doing things differently. Will Jones will pitch Game 1, he's pitched Game 1 for us all year, and then we'll go from there." The NCAA regionals haven't been kind to Northeastern, which has lost all six games it has played on that stage under Glavine dating to 2018, including unsuccessful runs in 2021 and '23. But when you combine the Huskies' elite pitching with a lineup that scored a conference-leading 7.6 runs per game — anchored by CAA Co-Player of the Year Harrison Feinberg — you've got a team prepared to compete with the big guns on the national stage. '[In 2021 and 2023] I felt confident going into it, and we were just sort of out of gas,' Glavine said. 'This year presents a different feeling of confidence, and so I feel, standing here, this is the most confident team we've had going into a regional. 'Like, why not us? Why can't we do this? Why can't we come out of this regional? There's no reason why we can't.' Amin Touri can be reached at
Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Tennessee recruit Claire DeCook will graduate early. For the junior star and Naperville North, ‘this is it.'
Naperville North junior forward Claire DeCook is considered an honorary senior by her teammates. When the season ends for the outgoing senior class, DeCook will be saying goodbye to her high school playing career too. The Tennessee recruit intends to graduate in December so she can begin taking classes at the university in January and get a head start on her college soccer career. DeCook made the decision before the beginning of this season at the urging of Tennessee's coaching staff. 'They highly encourage their recruits to come early just so you get a feel for everything,' she said. 'But it's completely optional. 'My family and I talked about the advantages and everything, and we thought it was best for me, especially with all the resources they could provide. It didn't take me long at all to be like, 'Yeah, I kind of want to do this.'' DeCook, whose older sister Cameron is a student at Tennessee, is part of a new trend of high school stars graduating early. It is more common in football, but for girls soccer players, it means missing their final high school season. The decision sped up the end of a whirlwind high school career for DeCook, who was the all-area player of the year in 2024 after returning from ACL surgery. This season has felt a little surreal to her. 'It's definitely different because when you're a junior, it's like, 'Oh, you have another season,'' she said. 'I feel like everyone feels that they have more time than they do. 'Freshman and sophomore year went by so fast, and so did junior year. It was a big reality check in like, 'OK, this is my last game playing against this team.' 'So the fact that I don't have another year after this, I'm just living in the moment and making sure I get everything done now.' DeCook, as ever, is getting a lot done. She scored the game-winning goal in the fourth-seeded Huskies' 3-0 victory over 13th-seeded Plainfield East in the Class 3A Oswego Regional semifinals on Wednesday. It was DeCook's 10th goal of the season and the 40th of her career. The Huskies (12-5-3), who will play either fifth-seeded Oswego or 12th-seeded Waubonsie Valley in the regional championship game at noon Saturday, want to extend their season — and DeCook's tenure — as long as possible. 'When we did our senior night, that's when it kind of became really real, when she was wearing the senior shirt rather than the underclassman shirt,' Naperville North senior defender Emily Buescher said. 'The other three freshmen she came on the team with, they gave her her rose. That was a really big thing. 'We don't refer to her as a senior, but in the world of soccer she is.' The Minnesota-bound Buescher said it was amazing to play alongside DeCook, whom she has known since they were little. One of Buescher's club teammates, Mya Nugent, enrolled early at Minnesota. Buescher sees the benefits in doing so but opted not to do so herself. 'It is much bigger culturally with the SEC,' Buescher said. 'It gives them a lot of time to start lifting and stuff like that. 'I leave in three weeks, so I leave pretty early too. But I definitely wanted to be here. I didn't get to play high school soccer my freshman and sophomore year, so to me I could never give up this because we're a family. What would I do without this?' What will the Huskies do without DeCook? Naperville North coach Steve Goletz is going to find out sooner than he'd like. 'For Claire to have the opportunity she has is incredible, and it's because of all the hard work that she's put in since she's been a little kid,' Goletz said. 'She's going to go on and do great things. 'For us, it's sad just because of not only Claire's soccer ability but also her and her family are incredible people. We really have enjoyed some amazing memories and moments with not only Claire but also Cam. So not only are we going to miss her on the field in regards to her ability, but also the charisma and what she brings every day.' Which is considerable. 'Her work rate is incredible,' Goletz said. 'Her willingness to compete is next level. I'm just super fortunate that I've been able to coach her and sad that this is it. 'Hopefully we can continue to win and get as many games as possible with her and with this fantastic group as a whole.'
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Is Alexis DeBoer related to Kalen DeBoer? What to know of Washington softball star
Is Alexis DeBoer related to Kalen DeBoer? What to know of Washington softball star Show Caption Hide Caption Legally blind pitcher Jenica Matos to play D1 softball The Cheshire High School star in Connecticut can't see home plate but threw three no-hitters last year and will play Division I for the Red Storm. Alexis DeBoer has made a name for herself as a star freshman for Washington softball. The Huskies' first baseman earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors following a 20-home run season, the eighth-most by a freshman in program history. She also figures to be a big piece of the Huskies' offensive attack that looks to upset NiJaree Canady and No. 12 Texas Tech in the Lubbock Regional to advance to the super regionals in the 2025 NCAA softball tournament. REQUIRED READING: Who will make Women's College World Series? NCAA softball tournament picks, predictions However, many college fans will know her name from elsewhere, as there is another famous DeBoer in the family: Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer, who previously served the same role at Washington. Kalen DeBoer, of course, departed for Alabama in early 2024 after the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban — just before his daughter began her freshman year in Seattle. Here's what you need to know about Alexis DeBoer, her decision to stick with Washington and more: Is Alexis DeBoer related to Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer? Yes. Alexis DeBoer is one of two daughters of the Alabama football coach and his wife, Nicole. She has a younger sister, Avery, who is a 6th-grader. Alexis DeBoer recruit ranking Alexis DeBoer was ranked as the No. 11 overall prospect in the Extra Elite 100 player rankings for the 2024 recruiting cycle. She committed to the Huskies on Sept. 24, 2022, nearly a year after Kalen DeBoer agreed to be the Washington football coach on Nov. 29, 2021. Despite her father leaving to coach Alabama in 2024, Alexis DeBoer honored her commitment to the Huskies, choosing not to transfer to play for Alabama and coach Patrick Murphy. Why did Alexis DeBoer stay at Washington? While Alexis DeBoer had not arrived on campus in Seattle by the time her father departed for Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Jan. 12, she had already signed her NLI with Washington. DeBoer, who attended Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Washington — less than seven miles from the University of Washington campus in Seattle — made her decision based on her comfort. "I chose the University of Washington because it felt like home and everyone was so inviting," DeBoer said via the Washington softball X account in October 2024. "It is a great balance of academics and athletics and you receive so much support for anything you need." Alexis DeBoer stats Here's a look at DeBoer's stats in her freshman season with the Huskies: 2025: .369 batting average, .458 on-base percentage, 1.304 OPS, 20 home runs, 54 RBI, 26 walks and 22 strikeouts in 51 games played, 149 at-bats For her efforts, DeBoer was named the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year while also garnering first-team all-conference honors and a unanimous selection to the all-freshman team, according to a news release from Washington softball.
Calgary Herald
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Three Saskatchewan Huskies picked in CFL draft
Article content CFL teams tapped the shoulders of three University of Saskatchewan Huskies football players Tuesday night, plus one other player from Saskatoon. Article content Huskies' linebacker Seth Hundeby was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the fourth round, 34th overall, of Tuesday's CFL Canadian college draft. Teammate and linebacker Lane Novak went in the fifth round, 45th overall to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and receiver Daniel Wiebe was picked by Saskatchewan in the eighth round, 69th overall. Article content Article content Linebacker Chase Tataryn, who hails from Saskatoon but plays for the Alberta Golden Bears, was selected by the B.C. Lions in the sixth round, 50th overall. Article content Article content It's the sixth straight year the Huskies have had at least three players picked in the draft. Article content Hundeby recorded 40 tackles and two sacks in 10 regular-season and playoff games last year, and Novak collected 32.5 tackles and an interception in eight contests. Wiebe, meanwhile, caught 62 balls for 846 yards and nine touchdowns, and led conference receivers in all three categories. Article content
New York Times
29-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
UConn star forward Alex Karaban returning to Huskies for senior season
UConn forward Alex Karaban — the lone remaining starter from the Huskies' back-to-back national championship teams in 2023 and 2024 — is returning to school for his senior season, he announced Tuesday. 'I pride myself on accepting challenges and holding myself to the highest standard,' Karaban said in a statement. 'Last year, we didn't achieve what we set out to, and I am not running from a chance to make that right!' — Alex Karaban (@AlexKaraban) April 29, 2025 The 6-foot-8, 210 pounder was UConn's third-leading scorer last season, posting career-high averages in points (14.3), rebounds (5.3), assists (2.8), and blocks (1.5) per game. Karaban's return finalizes UConn's offseason roster makeover, likely giving Dan Hurley a top-5 preseason ranked squad. In addition to the Massachusetts native, Hurley also returns starting guard Solo Ball and center Tarris Reed Jr., who should be the Huskies' top interior option. Advertisement In the transfer portal, UConn solidified its backcourt by adding former Georgia guard Silas Demary Jr. — who will also go through the NBA Draft process, according to the league's early entrant list released Tuesday — and former Dayton guard Malachi Smith. Hurley also signed five-star shooting guard Braylon Mullins and four-star center Eric Reibe from high school. But for all the pieces at Hurley's disposal, none are as crucial as Karaban, and for multiple reasons. The first is obvious: As the lone holdover from the Huskies' consecutive title teams, Karaban will be integral in setting the culture in Storrs. Karaban was critical of his own ability to do that last season — especially after the Huskies' 0-3 performance in the Maui Invitational in November. Secondly, strictly from a basketball standpoint, Karaban's floor-stretching will be critical between UConn's reworked backcourt and frontline. Five-star freshman wing Liam McNeeley fortified the team's perimeter this season, but with McNeeley gone to the NBA Draft, more of that onus will fall on Karaban. Karaban started all 33 games he played last season, and his 35.9 minutes per game were most on the team. The question now is whether or not Karaban still has another level he can reach. On UConn's title teams, he was a key cog, but hardly the most important piece. Last season, occupying more of a featured role, Karaban's efficiency lagged as he posted the worst offensive rating of his career, per KenPom, and finished with the lowest 3-point percentage (34.7 percent) of his three college seasons. He did grow as a playmaker, nearly doubling his assist rate, but his streaky shooting cost UConn in several instances last season, including when he went 2-for-9 from deep in the team's season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to eventual champion Florida in the round of 32. Advertisement The good news is that with UConn's roster overhaul mostly complete, Karaban won't have to be near the singular force he was asked to be a season ago. Instead, he can once again serve as connective tissue on the perimeter next to the likes of Ball and Demary, giving Hurley at least three true 3-point threats. Additionally, Karaban's connection with Reed should continue to pay dividends; per CBB Analytics, Karaban was the second-leading assister to Reed last season behind graduated point guard Hassan Diarra. Karaban's return is the best possible news UConn could have asked for. After a down season by Hurley's standards, the Huskies should once again be considered legitimate national title contenders.
