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Associated Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Utah Valley set to join Big West Conference for 2026-27 athletic year
OREM, Utah (AP) — Utah Valley is joining the Big West conference for the 2026-27 athletic year, giving the league a presence in that state for the first time since Utah State ended a 27-year run in 2005. The conference said Wednesday it remained open to the possibility of adding a 12th member but anticipated being an 11-school league when Utah Valley and California Baptist officially join July 1, 2026. The Big West doesn't have football, and Hawaii and UC Davis are leaving to join the Mountain West Conference in 2026-27. Hawaii has been a football-only member of the Mountain West since 2012. UC Davis has been a football-only member of the Big Sky Conference. Utah Valley is leaving the Western Athletic Conference, and the Wolverines will compete in 13 Big West-sponsored sports, including men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball. 'Their addition expands our geographic footprint into a vibrant and strategically significant region, while elevating the level of competition across the board,' Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly said. Utah Valley will be the largest school in the Big West with an enrollment of 47,000. Barring further realignment, Utah Valley will replace Hawaii as the only school in the conference outside California. ___ AP college sports:
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
In first full year in D-I and without key player, Tarleton State women punch NCAA regional ticket
After leading Tarleton State to its first Western Athletic Conference title last Wednesday in its first season as a full-fledged Division-I women's golf program, Texans head coach Isabel Jimenez logged onto her Facebook and was greeted by a similar memory. On that date, April 16, back in 2013, Jimenez was a standout freshman from Madrid on Tarleton State's squad, then D-II, that captured a sixth straight Lone State Conference Championship. Advertisement 'If that's not meant to be, what is?' said Jimenez, who went immediately from her four-time All-American playing career to coaching the Texans, first as an assistant and then as the successor to longtime Tarleton head coach Jerry Doyle in 2018. 'It's super meaningful,' Jimenez continued. 'I'm very proud of this team, and I'm so happy that I decided to come here over a decade ago. It's crazy how life evolves.' GpF6_rRWMAEO1jV.jpeg It took four seasons for Tarleton to complete its transition to D-I. For the first two seasons, the Texans could only send individuals to the WAC Championship. Two years ago, they placed 10th in their WAC Championship debut before improving to fifth last season. Advertisement Winning conference this spring was always the expectation, even before Tarleton recorded a win and four runner-up finishes in its first six events. But in early March, the Texans suffered a huge blow when Mathilde Brogens, a senior from Denmark who is the only player on the roster who has been at Tarleton since that first transition year, injured her right foot. Brogens was the team's third-ranked player with a win and two other to-10s at the time of her injury, which will keep her out the rest of the season. Despite being in a walking boot, Brogens has continued to travel as the non-competing sixth player. 'I told her, yes, you're not finishing the season like you'd want, you're not competing, but what you've been doing for these past four years is why we're here,' Jimenez said. With Brogens out, the rest of the Texans, no true freshmen among them, have stepped up collectively, especially Louise Depadt. A sophomore from France, Depadt enters regionals having posted seven straight top-5 finishes, including a four-shot victory at the WAC Championship, which Tarleton won by three shots over Abilene Christian despite senior Elle Fox withdrawing during the first round after she struck a root, leaving the Texans without the luxury of a drop score that day. Juniors Darianys Guzman and Rebeca Fernandez shot opening rounds of 2 over and 3 over, respectively. Advertisement 'Something changed in the air [following Brogens' injury],' Jimenez said. 'Even before that, they already understood that they could win, and that built up more and more, and once Mat got injured, they realized, ok, we either step up or we cannot continue this success. And Louise, she's put the team on her back, especially this past month.' crop (5).webp NCAA golf: Conference championship schedule, results, recaps A look at the schedule and results for all the 2025 NCAA Division I golf conference championships for men and women. Ranked 118th nationally and likely an 11th seed at one of six 12-team regional sites, Tarleton is undoubtedly a longshot to advance to the program's first NCAA Championship. Jimenez realizes as much, but that doesn't mean the Texans won't give it their best shot. Advertisement Plus, there is a sliver of history on Tarleton's side. Since the six-regional format was adopted in 2022, no 10 or 12 seeds have advanced through to nationals. However, an 11 seed has – Augusta in 2023. 'We need to worry about us, not what's around us, not who's playing with us,' Jimenez said. 'But it'll be tough, especially at regionals where there are great teams and players all around you. It's going to be a tough environment, but as long as we stay focused and keep doing what we've been doing, why not? We're going to give a try. It's not going to be easy, not at all, but we are already proud.'
NBC Sports
22-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
In first full year in D-I and without key player, Tarleton State women punch NCAA regional ticket
After leading Tarleton State to its first Western Athletic Conference title last Wednesday in its first season as a full-fledged Division-I women's golf program, Texans head coach Isabel Jimenez logged onto her Facebook and was greeted by a similar memory. On that date, April 16, back in 2013, Jimenez was a standout freshman from Madrid on Tarleton State's squad, then D-II, that captured a sixth straight Lone State Conference Championship. 'If that's not meant to be, what is?' said Jimenez, who went immediately from her four-time All-American playing career to coaching the Texans, first as an assistant and then as the successor to longtime Tarleton head coach Jerry Doyle in 2018. 'It's super meaningful,' Jimenez continued. 'I'm very proud of this team, and I'm so happy that I decided to come here over a decade ago. It's crazy how life evolves.' It took four seasons for Tarleton to complete its transition to D-I. For the first two seasons, the Texans could only send individuals to the WAC Championship. Two years ago, they placed 10th in their WAC Championship debut before improving to fifth last season. Winning conference this spring was always the expectation, even before Tarleton recorded a win and four runner-up finishes in its first six events. But in early March, the Texans suffered a huge blow when Mathilde Brogens, a senior from Denmark who is the only player on the roster who has been at Tarleton since that first transition year, injured her right foot. Brogens was the team's third-ranked player with a win and two other to-10s at the time of her injury, which will keep her out the rest of the season. Despite being in a walking boot, Brogens has continued to travel as the non-competing sixth player. 'I told her, yes, you're not finishing the season like you'd want, you're not competing, but what you've been doing for these past four years is why we're here,' Jimenez said. With Brogens out, the rest of the Texans, no true freshmen among them, have stepped up collectively, especially Louise Depadt. A sophomore from France, Depadt enters regionals having posted seven straight top-5 finishes, including a four-shot victory at the WAC Championship, which Tarleton won by three shots over Abilene Christian despite senior Elle Fox withdrawing during the first round after she struck a root, leaving the Texans without the luxury of a drop score that day. Juniors Darianys Guzman and Rebeca Fernandez shot opening rounds of 2 over and 3 over, respectively. 'Something changed in the air [following Brogens' injury],' Jimenez said. 'Even before that, they already understood that they could win, and that built up more and more, and once Mat got injured, they realized, ok, we either step up or we cannot continue this success. And Louise, she's put the team on her back, especially this past month.' Brentley Romine, Ranked 118th nationally and likely an 11th seed at one of six 12-team regional sites, Tarleton is undoubtedly a longshot to advance to the program's first NCAA Championship. Jimenez realizes as much, but that doesn't mean the Texans won't give it their best shot. Plus, there is a sliver of history on Tarleton's side. Since the six-regional format was adopted in 2022, no 10 or 12 seeds have advanced through to nationals. However, an 11 seed has – Augusta in 2023. 'We need to worry about us, not what's around us, not who's playing with us,' Jimenez said. 'But it'll be tough, especially at regionals where there are great teams and players all around you. It's going to be a tough environment, but as long as we stay focused and keep doing what we've been doing, why not? We're going to give a try. It's not going to be easy, not at all, but we are already proud.'
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arizona State tabs Grand Canyon's Molly Miller as next women's basketball coach
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State is hiring Grand Canyon's Molly Miller as its next women's basketball coach. Miller replaces Natasha Adair, who was fired earlier this month after going 29-62 in three seasons. Miller had a successful run across town at GCU, leading the Lopes to their first Western Athletic Conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance this season. Grand Canyon took a 30-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament before losing to Baylor in the first round. The 38-year-old Miller went 117-38 in five seasons at GCU after a program-best 32-3 this year. 'We would like to thank coach Molly Miller for leading our program for five seasons, culminating in the first conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance for women's basketball,' GCU athletic director Jamie Boggs said in a statement on Saturday. 'We wish her the best in her new opportunity.' Miller previously coached at her alma mater, leading Division II Drury to a 180-17 record in six seasons. ___ AP March Madness coverage: and and The Associated Press
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Queen regal for Terps, favored Maryland runs away from Grand Canyon in Seattle NCAAs
Maryland's madness marches on. Thanks to Derik Queen being regal, again. The Big Ten's star freshman big man's 14th double-double this season, and ninth in his last 11 games, left smaller Grand Canyon in a chasm it could never get out of. The fourth-seeded Terrapins seized a 20-point lead in the first half. Then they cruised to a 81-48 victory over the 13 seed 'Lopes at Climate Pledge Arena in the second of four first-round games of the NCAA tournament's return to Seattle. Queen finished with 12 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, multiple no-look passes inside and more menacing moves than a turtle should have. He led the Terps (26-8), second-place finishers in the Big Ten this regular season, into the second round Sunday at the home of the NHL's Kraken — and hoped-for home of the future Sonics to the NBA. Maryland will play Colorado State. The 12th-seeded Rams (26-9) rallied to beat fifth-seeded Memphis 78-70 in the first Seattle game Friday. Against GCU, Julian Reese was 8 for 15 from the field for 18 points for Maryland. The Terps trailed early. Then they blitzed Grand Canyon with Queen inside and hot shooting outside during a relentless, 31-6 run. It put the Terps up by 20, 33-13, with 5 1/2 minutes left in the first half. Grand Canyon missed 16 of its first 21 shots and was shooting 23%. That was while Maryland was scorching, 12 for 23 (52%). All the while, Queen dominated the lane. Late in the first half, Grand Canyon leading scorer JaKobe Coles spun on a Terps defender free to rim for what he thought was a layup. The 6-foot-10 Queen raced across the lane and swatted Coles' shot from the rim into the corner. Coles, the Western Athletic Conference tournament most outstanding player last week, looked stunned. To avoid Queen, the 'Lopes resorted to shooting 3-point tries outside. That mostly failed, too. GCU shot just 21.7% (5 for 23) from 3-point range. Grant-Foster made one, from well behind the top of the arc to end the first half. He angrily pointed at his 'Lopes bench as the teams headed into the locker room for halftime. That cut Maryland's lead to 42-28. Grant-Foster scored the first basket after halftime, too, a put back that got GCU within 12. Grand Canyon couldn't get closer after that. A tip-in backside off a miss by Queen put Maryland back up by 17, 51-34, with 15 minutes remaining. The lead grew to 71-45 with 5:20 left, on a 3-pointer by the Terps' Selton Miguel off the 'Lopes' ninth turnover, then to 79-48 with Jordan Geronimo's emphatic, two-handed dunk off a loose ball in the lane with 2 minutes left.
