Latest news with #Women'sNationalChampionship
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Women's Golf Shafted Again as NAIA Forced to Apologize
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Golf is hard. Anyone who has played it can attest to that. However, it doesn't have to be as difficult as the first round of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women's National Championship was. The organizers of the event, held at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Ypsilanti, Michigan, placed the fifth hole in the worst possible location. The decision was so unfortunate that the NAIA felt compelled to issue an apology. "We regret to confirm that an unfortunate situation occurred at the NAIA Women's Golf National Championship," the NAIA said in a statement. "The hole on No. 5 was incorrectly placed in a challenging position." "We take this matter seriously and have taken immediate steps to ensure this type of situation will not happen again. The NAIA is committed to the student-athlete experience." A general view of play on the the 16th green as darkness falls and the moon rises during the first round of the Chiquita Classic held at The Club at Longview on September 27, 2012... A general view of play on the the 16th green as darkness falls and the moon rises during the first round of the Chiquita Classic held at The Club at Longview on September 27, 2012 in Weddington, North Carolina. MoreThere have been numerous reports on social media of players scoring 8, 9, and 10 on that par-5 5th hole. Videos of players making putts with completely unpredictable trajectories have also gone viral. The issue was so widespread that even the legendary Phil Mickelson reacted with a post on X: I have a suggestion 🙋♂️ 😂😂 — Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 14, 2025 You may recall that Mickelson encountered a similar problem during the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and solved it in the most unconventional manner: by hitting his ball while it was still in motion. It's not like anyone expects a national championship to be a walk in the park. However, it doesn't have to be an unplayable tournament, as was the case two years ago at the NCAA Division III Women's National Championship. According to Brentley Romine of the Golf Channel, the fifth hole saw 90 double bogeys or worse, 47 bogeys, 15 pars, and only three birdies during the first round, which was suspended due to darkness. Really unfortunate situation happening at the @NAIA women's golf championship in MI The hole on #5 has caused serious issues. There has been multiple 10s, 9s, and 8s. A lot of teams scorecards look like the one below (And this girl handled it so well) — Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) May 13, 2025 Sharon Shan of SCAD Savannah leads the individual tournament with a 7-under score, four strokes ahead of Jessica Ng of British Columbia. British Columbia is in first place in the team tournament at 9-over, four strokes ahead of Marian (Indiana). Founded in 1940, the NAIA brings together small college athletic programs from the United States and Canada. The association currently has 237 member institutions and over 83,000 student-athletes, grouped into 21 conferences. This is not the first time something like this has happened in women's golf. In 2023, the women's DIII Championship had to be canceled after a similar situation played out. More Golf: PGA Championship: How Quail Hollow 3 Green Mile Holes Will Decide a Winner
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Be a Tourist: Events around town April 11-13
Ryan recently released his first stand-up special. The one-hour Netflix original Happy Face follows a wealth of television appearances and a non-stop headlining tour. Armed with the unique perspective of growing up in rural Idaho to become a favorite in the New York stand-up comedy scene, he's one-of-a-kind. To purchase tickets and see show times, click here. The National Club Basketball Association will host its Women's National Championship in Erie April 11-13! The event will be held at the Hagerty Events Center. Eight NCBBA teams will advance to the National Championship tournament. The event will be a single-elimination, three-day tournament that will ultimately determine the 2025 National Champion. For more information, click here. Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as two young men, raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. Click here for tickets and show times. April showers bring May flowers, so Inner-City Neighborhood Art House will make some on-theme art at the Art House's Second Saturday on Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. They have umbrellas to decorate and spring to celebrate. Due to the scale of this project, it is anticipated it will take the full two hours to complete. For more information, click here. This year's show provides a great opportunity for you to redecorate your home with a one-of-a-kind handmade craft item or fill your Mother's Day shopping list. This event is also a great gift for your mom. Come spend the day together shopping and enjoying all the local artisans have to offer. Enjoy tasty items from many local and regional vendors offering pastries, chocolates, spices, sample local wines & more. All attendees will receive a recyclable tote bag compliment of UPMC Health Plan. For more information, click here. Indulge in samples from over 20 of the finest regional brewers, showcasing the best craft beers our area has to offer. Whether you're a seasoned beer enthusiast or just looking to explore new favorites, this is the perfect opportunity to discover unique brews, enjoy live entertainment, and connect with fellow craft beer lovers. For more information, click here. Free event! Visits with the Easter Bunny from 12pm-4pm, visits with friendly animals, fun photo ops, food, drinks and sweet treats, scavenger hunt, live music and more. For more information, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
09-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How 18 Massachusetts women created community through pickup basketball, Final Four trips
How 18 Massachusetts women created community through pickup basketball, Final Four trips Show Caption Hide Caption Women's National Championship recap USA TODAY's Meghan Hall breaks down UConn's win over South Carolina in the NCAA National Championship. Sports Seriously TAMPA, Fla. – When UConn cut down the nets after winning the program's 12th national championship Sunday, it was the third time Celia Donatio had witnessed the historic women's basketball program win an NCAA title. It was also the ninth straight women's Final Four she was in the stands for. It's always sweeter when UConn is playing, but Donatio, 61, makes the trip regardless because of the group of 18 women she gets to spend the weekend with. They affectionately named themselves Old Lady Basketball, a group of former collegiate and high school players who first came together to play pickup ball two decades ago in 2004 at a home in the Boston area. A couple of them attended the Final Four for the first time in 2014 when UConn won its second consecutive national championship. Two years later in 2016, the entire group witnessed the Huskies win their fourth straight title, and they haven't missed a Final Four since. Most of them are UConn fans, and it was a full circle moment to see the Huskies win 82-59 at Amalie Arena on Sunday to capture their 12th national championship. "It's no coincidence that this year's team chemistry was reminiscent of those [earlier] teams," Donatio said. As if the weekend wasn't already picture-perfect, they happened upon the UConn team hotel on their way out of town Monday morning. They got to meet the team and took photos with UConn coach Geno Auriemma and senior stars Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. "It was the icing on the cake to meet the team," Donatio said. "They were gracious and generous as these old ladies turned into teenage fan girls." The women all connected in different ways. Some of them met playing pickup with other groups in Boston. Ilsa Webeck met Carrie Stampfer because Stampfer was coaching the game between their 5-year-old sons. Amy Mok, who played volleyball at MIT, was looking for pickup basketball and community when she moved to the Boston area at the end of 2022. Mok met Donatio at another pickup group, and she was quickly adopted into OLB. It felt like family immediately, especially since Mok had just lost her mother, and she found the support she needed. They're together to play basketball, but the basketball is almost secondary at this point. "We've all gone through various forms of loss, so a big piece of it is guiding each other through loss," Dira Cannistraro said. "That loss each of us share, and how each of us builds the other one up through that is priceless. Anyone who experiences a new form of loss, there's been someone else who has already been through that or understands it." Sometimes they don't even need to talk to feel comfort. Sometimes, simply playing their regularly scheduled pickup games is enough therapy. "I remember once, Dira, you came into the courts and you were like, 'I've been sitting out in my car, and I wasn't going to come in. I'm just in a bad place. I don't want to talk,'" Patty Buonaiuto said. "And then after you were like, 'Thank goodness, I feel so much better.'" They've carried each other through divorce, death, sickness and injuries. Kristen Halmen dealt with a major knee injury the last two years. When she first had surgery, the rest of the group made a spreadsheet detailing who would bring dinner, who was taking her to physical therapy and any other needs she had. The surgery was on her right knee, so they drove her everywhere. She couldn't play with them on the court, but they still showed up for her. "I have a 13-year-old daughter, and what I want most for her is not to play in college ... I want this for her," Halmen said. "This experience now makes me realize it's not about being the best, it's about the enjoyment of it, and it's about the community of it." It's a community the group of women built from the ground up, a web that only continues to grow. The oldest member is 69, and the youngest are in their 30s, which Buonaiuto is excited about. They didn't have younger women in the group for a while, but now they have the next generation, the ones who will carry the group on for years to come. The Final Four trip is the highlight of every year, but Webeck said "we could have fun in a box." They have an undeniable chemistry because they all feel the freedom to be who they are, they don't feel the need to present a certain version of themselves. That doesn't mean anyone is safe from competition or a good roast – but that's better for their friendship, Bridget Mulholland said. "You have to have a thick skin to be in this room, but you're also going to be loved like nothing else," Mulholland said. "I think, it was you're 300% more likely to have a better friendship and connection if you roast each other." The years that pass are marked by the kids that started out in strollers on the sidelines and grew into teenagers mailing in college applications. They're also distinguished by the increasing difficulty to secure tickets as women's basketball has grown over the years. It used to be easy to get tickets. But they've had to start planning the trip earlier and earlier every year – they're already planning for Phoenix in 2026. The price of their suite jumped from $6,000 in 2023 to $20,000 in 2024. But they appreciate getting to witness the explosion of the popularity and ratings of women's basketball. Mulholland's high school team used to have to wear the boys team's old jerseys. Now players like A'ja Wilson are getting signature shoes with Nike and hosting pop-up shops at the Final Four. "We knew how important women's basketball and Final Four was, but the country didn't," Buonaiuto said. "So that's what's nice to see, that it's changed so much, and now they get the same respect."
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Notre Dame's Olivia Miles commits to TCU out of transfer portal, per reports
Notre Dame's Olivia Miles commits to TCU out of transfer portal, per reports Show Caption Hide Caption Women's National Championship recap USA TODAY's Meghan Hall breaks down UConn's win over South Carolina in the NCAA National Championship. Sports Seriously Former Notre Dame women's basketball guard Olivia Miles committed to TCU out of the transfer portal on Tuesday, according to ESPN. Miles, who was recently projected as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft by USA TODAY Sports, opted to enter the transfer portal ahead of her final season after helping the Fighting Irish to the Sweet 16. Miles, the No. 2-ranked transfer available per ESPN's rankings, averaged 15.4 points with 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game last season after missing the 2023-24 season with an ACL injury. She also shot 40.8% from 3-point range after her previous season best was 27% in 2021-22. REQUIRED READING: WNBA mock draft: Projected first-round picks after 2025 women's NCAA championship Miles will instantly step in as TCU's expected go-to scorer, especially with the Horned Frogs losing Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince, who are both out of eligibility. The move signals TCU's continued commitment to women's basketball, as it secured its first Round of 32 and Sweet 16 win this season before falling to Texas in the Elite Eight. Head coach Mark Campbell is 55-16 in his two seasons in Fort Worth, Texas, after spending the previous three seasons at Sacramento State. Miles was a five-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class, tabbed as the No. 8 player and No. 2 combo guard, according to ESPN's rankings.
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Women's March Madness perfect bracket: ESPN user was one game short of perfection
Women's March Madness perfect bracket: ESPN user was one game short of perfection Show Caption Hide Caption Women's National Championship recap USA TODAY's Meghan Hall breaks down UConn's win over South Carolina in the NCAA National Championship. Sports Seriously With the entire women's NCAA Tournament in the books and UConn cutting down the nets, the hope of having a perfect bracket for one lucky fan will have to wait another season. However, the drought almost came to an end this year. According to ESPN, one user in its Women's Bracket Challenge came one game short of beating the impossibly long odds of predicting all 63 games of the March Madness tournament perfectly in their bracket. REQUIRED READING: Women's March Madness winners, losers: UConn, Paige Bueckers earn storybook ending The only incorrect game in that user's bracket came in the first round of the tournament, as they had No. 8 seed Utah advancing to the second round to play then-defending champion and No. 1 seed South Carolina. The Utes, of course, were "upset" by No. 9 seed Indiana in that first-round game thanks to a dominating 27-16 third-quarter performance. Notable picks from the user included two 7-10 upsets in the first round, as No. 10 seeds South Dakota State and Oregon beat No. 7 seeds Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt, respectively. The user also got a close call in the second between No. 4 seed Maryland and No. 5 seed Alabama, with the Terrapins needing to overcome a 17-point deficit to beat the Crimson Tide in double overtime. ESPN also noted that one user started an impressive 57-0 on their bracket, which was the longest perfect streak in the history of the tournament. In Sunday's national championship game, UConn rolled through South Carolina for the second time this season for their 12th women's NCAA Tournament national title under Geno Auriemma. It also put a fitting touch on an illustrious career for Huskies star guard Paige Bueckers, who is the likely candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. Of the 3.4 million brackets in ESPN's Women's Tournament Challenge, 20.4% of brackets had the Huskies cutting down the nets in Tampa at Amalie Arena. There was also one user on CBS Sports' bracket challenge that came one win shy of a perfect bracket, per the Associated Press. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
