Cooper Flagg named preseason ACC Rookie of the Year, makes All-ACC First Team

Duke basketball freshman Cooper Flagg was named to the All-ACC First Team and earned Rookie of the Year honors in Tuesday’s preseason poll.

The ACC released its preseason men’s basketball awards on Tuesday evening, and Duke’s star freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] took the league voting by storm.

Flagg won the conference’s Rookie of the Year honors with 53 of the 54 votes, only losing unanimous honors thanks to a single nomination for California’s Jeremiah Wilkinson.

The 17-year-old also made the preseason All-ACC First Team with 52 of the 54 possible votes, the second-most of any player in the conference. Only North Carolina‘s RJ Davis, a First-Team All-American last season, received all 54 votes.

Flagg also finished second to Davis in the preseason Player of the Year voting, earning 10 votes to the Tar Heel’s 40. No other player received more than three votes.

No other Blue Devils, even returning starters Tyrese Proctor or Caleb Foster, made the all-conference teams despite the wealth of talent on Duke’s 2024-25 roster.

Two Duke players made the All-ACC teams in 2023-24 with forward Kyle Filipowski (First Team) and senior captain Jeremy Roach (Third Team), but neither will play for the Blue Devils this season. Filipowski was the only Blue Devil on the all-conference teams in 2022-23, but a trio of players made the 2021-22 squad with Paolo Banchero on the First Team.

Video: Reacting to Muhammad vs. Rakhmonov, Pantoja vs. Asakura title-fight bookings at UFC 310

What to make of the recent UFC 310 title-fight bookings? We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

The final UFC pay-per-view of the year officially has its main and co-main events.

Last week, UFC CEO Dana White announced a pair of title fights that will headline the Dec. 7 event in Las Vegas as [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] and [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] will get top billing for UFC 310.

Were these the right fights to make in each respective division? Who will emerge as champions that night? How do we feel about Asakura getting a title shot in his promotional debut?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Matthew Wells, Danny Segura, and host Gorgeous George discuss the welterweight and flyweight championship fights booked for UFC 310, along with how they set up each division.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/hQw_JxC0qM8

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Why winning 2024 Golfweek October Classic was ‘most rewarding victory’ for Washington-St. Louis women

“This has been my most rewarding victory in four years as head coach.”

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — Dave Reinhardt knows how big of an accomplishment his team pulled off Tuesday.

Entering the final round of the 2024 Golfweek October Classic trailing Emory by eight shots, Washington-St. Louis had no margin for error if it wanted to come from behind and steal the team title at arguably the strongest event in all of Division III golf.

When the final putt dropped on the 18th hole at Sandestin Resort’s Links Course, Reinhardt told his player Sydney Kuo they had won, and she screamed in celebration and sprinted off the green to join her teammates, who were doing the same on the other side of the pond.

Washington-St. Louis was stellar in the final round, shooting 4 under to finish at 4-over 868 for the tournament, two shots ahead of Carnegie Mellon and nine in front of Emory, which shot 13 over Tuesday to fall to third. The 4-under 284 Washington St. Louis shot in the final round was the second-best team total of the week.

Golfweek October Classic: Scores

“I kept telling the girls, focus and play your game,” Reinhardt said. “We had a big refresh for this season. I couldn’t be more proud of them.

“This has been my most rewarding victory in four years as head coach.”

Washington-St. Louis and Carnegie Mellon were the only teams to shoot under par on the Links Course in the final round, a new course for the women this year at the Golfweek October Classic.

The win was also significant for seventh-ranked Washington St. Louis, as the team topped the top two teams in the latest Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll in Carnegie Mellon and Emory. The field featured seven of the top 10 teams in the country.

“This is one of the top tournaments in all of fall golf, if not the entire season,” Reinhardt said. “To come here and win this, it’s something we can use and build on as we head into spring.”

Kuo finished solo second in the individual standings, four shots behind Emory’s Zimo Lee, the only player in the field to shoot three consecutive rounds under par, finishing at 6-under 210 for the event.

Carnegie Mellon’s Cecilia Jia placed solo third at even par, and Pomona-Pitzer’s Rachel LeMay and Carnegie Mellon’s Emma Wong tied for fourth at 1 over.

Washington & Lee men call their shot, win 2024 Golfweek October Classic

“They were going to win, they said that when they got here.”

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — When Washington & Lee’s men’s golf team arrived at Sandestin Resort’s Raven Course, the players called their shot.

“They were going to win, they said that when they got here,” Washington & Lee coach Pete Gyscek said.

And win they did.

Washington & Lee captured the team title at the 2024 Golfweek October Classic on Tuesday, holding off a charge from Sewanee to top a loaded field that included a majority of the top teams in Division III golf. Washington & Lee finished at 30-under 822 for the 54-hole tournament, which is believed to be a record.

Golfweek October Classic: Scores

“I am proud of them,” Gyscek said. “They came down, and they did not let up just one thing. They played every hole aggressively. They said they were going to do that, and they played really well.”

Six teams finished under par, with Sewanee coming in at 23 under to claim second. LeTourneau was third at 6 under while Methodist, the 2023 champion, and Lynchburg tied for fourth at 5 under. Oglethorpe was the other team to finish in the red at 3 under.

At the preview for NCAAs, Washington & Lee placed second and was making a late charge for the win. Then, the next tournament with an even stronger field, they led going into the final round but ended up in second.

That was motivation for this week, and it started with the team captains.

“We have only seven players on our team and two freshmen in the lineup, which is always something different,” Gyscek said. “I’ve got two seniors who are the best leaders in the country. It’s as simple as that. Leadership, and they help the young kids.”

One of those seniors, Jonathan McEwen, was a part of a three-way tie for medalist honors at 11-under 202. Joining him was freshman teammate Elias Malakoff and Carnegie Mellon’s Justin Chan.

Sewanee’s Colin Edwards was solo fourth at 9 under while LeTourneau’s Corbin Barton came in fifth at 8 under.

49ers release WR from practice squad to make room for new K

The former Panthers pass catcher was signed to the 49ers practice squad before the start of the season.

The San Francisco 49ers will have their third kicker of the season step in on Sunday when they host the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch. Following Jake Moody’s ankle injury, his replacement, Matthew Wright suffered a shoulder injury on Thursday Night Football.

On Tuesday, the 49ers added kicker Anders Carlson to the practice squad along with veteran safety Adrian Amos. With Carlson and Amos set to join the practice squad, the 49ers released wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. from the practice squad.

Via @TomPelissero on Twitter:

Marshall Jr. was signed to the 49ers practice before the start of the season after he was released from the Carolina Panthers. Marshall Jr, was a second-round pick by the Panthers in the 2021 NFL draft.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Buffalo Bills land Amari Cooper in deal with Cleveland Browns

The Bills land Amari Cooper as a target for Josh Allen

Hours after the New York Jets acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders, the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday added a top wideout to their roster.

The Bills swung a trade with the Cleveland Browns for Amari Cooper.

The details: Buffalo sent a 2025 third- and 2026 seventh-round draft pick to Cleveland for Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round selection (from Detroit).

Cooper had 24 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns in six games in 2024.

The Bills will be his fourth team. He previously has played for the Raiders, Cowboys, and Browns.

In his career he has 691 catches for 9.736 yards

 

Bills post hilarious highlight video after trading for Amari Cooper

Bills post hilarious highlight video after trading for Amari Cooper

Western New York will be excited to see the first connection between quarterback Josh Allen and new wide receiver Amari Cooper on the football field soon… that is, that first while they’re on the same team.

Cooper was acquired via trade with the Cleveland Browns. He heads to Buffalo and will be the team’s new No. 1 wide receiver.

But thanks to the Bills, we know the two have connected on a pass before.

In 2022, the Bills beat the Browns at Highmark Stadium in a 31-23 final. At one point during the game, Cooper caught a pass from Allen.

No, really.

The Bills posted a hilarious video and said the two have always had chemistry… because during that game, Allen threw away a ball while under pressure. He did so on the Browns’ sideline.

Who caught it?

Cooper… and with one hand.

Here it is, in all its glory:

Packers sign rookie OT Spencer Rolland to practice squad

The Green Bay Packers signed offensive tackle Spencer Rolland to the practice squad on Tuesday. 

The Green Bay Packers signed offensive tackle Spencer Rolland to the practice squad on Tuesday.

Rolland, an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina, spent time with the Minnesota Vikings during the offseason and training camp.

Rolland is from Burnsville, Minnesota.

Rolland spent his first four collegiate seasons at Harvard (2018-21) before transferring to North Carolina and starting 26 games at right tackle for the Tar Heels. He was an All-ACC pick in 2023.

During the preseason, Rolland played 60 snaps at left guard for the Vikings. He allowed one pressure and committed two penalties.

The Packers are losing an offensive lineman from the practice squad. Lecitus Smith is signing with the 53-man roster of the New England Patriots this week.

Saints list a couple of upgrades on latest injury report vs. Broncos

The New Orleans Saints listed a couple of upgrades on the latest injury report vs. Broncos, but multiple key playmakers are still on the mend:

Tuesday’s updated New Orleans Saints injury report doesn’t look much different from what the team listed on Monday, but there are a couple of positives we should note as the team prepares for their Thursday night kickoff with the Denver Broncos.

Starting defensive end Carl Granderson (neck) was upgraded to full  participation from limited reps on Monday (had the team practiced; remember, they only held a walkthrough since it’s a short week). On top of that, veteran guard/center Lucas Patrick (chest) was able to practiced on a limited basis after the training staff estimated he would’ve sat out earlier  in the week.

But beyond that, it’s more of the same. Key playmakers like Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) remain sidelined, as does starting right guard Cesar Ruiz (knee). Cornerstones like Alvin Kamara (hand) and  Taysom Hill (rib) handled limited workloads while receiving treatment. There are 17 total players listed on the injury report, which is almost a third of the 53-man roster. That’s a serious challenge to overcome.

We’ll see how everyone is progressing when the final injury report is released on Wednesday. Here’s everything we learned from Tuesday’s update:

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Iowa unranked in preseason AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll

Iowa is unranked, but four Big Ten teams find themselves within the preseason AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll.

The Iowa Hawkeyes enter the 2024-25 campaign flying under the radar.

Iowa men’s basketball begins the season unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll. This is in line with other preseason projections of the Hawkeyes.

Iowa was picked 11th in the preseason Big Ten men’s basketball media poll.

Four Big Ten teams did make their way into the preseason rankings, led by reigning Big Ten regular season champion Purdue at No. 14 nationally.

Indiana at No. 17, UCLA at No. 22 and Rutgers at No. 25 make their way into the preseason AP Top 25 poll.

Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin and Maryland make up the contingent of Big Ten teams that are receiving votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.

Kansas leads the way as the preseason No. 1 team. The Jayhawks received 30 first-place votes. The rest of the top five features No. 2 Alabama, defending two-time champion and No. 3 UConn, No. 4 Houston and No. 5 Iowa State.

Iowa returns preseason All-Big Ten Team member Payton Sandfort. The 6-foot-8, 215 pound senior averaged 16.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 44.6% from the field, 37.9% from 3-point distance and 91.1% from the free throw line last season.

The Hawkeyes also bring back standout sophomore big Owen Freeman. Freeman averaged 10.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 61.4% from the field and 66.1% from the free throw line. He scored in double figures in 18 games, had 11 games with three or more blocks and tallied five double-doubles.

The rest of Iowa’s nucleus features sophomore guard Brock Harding, junior guard Josh Dix, graduate guard Drew Thelwell, sophomore forwards Seydou Traore and Pryce Sandfort and sophomore forward Ladji Dembele among others.

Here’s a look at the full preseason AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll.

Ranking Team Record Points
1 Kansas 0-0 1,449 (30)
2 Alabama 0-0 1,428 (14)
3 UConn 0-0 1,345 (11)
4 Houston 0-0 1,343 (4)
5 Iowa State 0-0 1,177
6 Gonzaga 0-0 1,157 (1)
7 Duke 0-0 1,154
8 Baylor 0-0 1,109
9 North Carolina 0-0 1,037
10 Arizona 0-0 905
11 Auburn 0-0 901
12 Tennessee 0-0 775
13 Texas A&M 0-0 737
14 Purdue 0-0 678
15 Creighton 0-0 631
16 Arkansas 0-0 625
17 Indiana 0-0 492
18 Marquette 0-0 484
19 Texas 0-0 332
20 Cincinnati 0-0 271
21 Florida 0-0 249
22 UCLA 0-0 210
23 Kentucky 0-0 191
24 Ole Miss 0-0 132
25 Rutgers 0-0 102
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:

Illinois 92, St. John’s 91, Xavier 73, Texas Tech 58, Wake Forest 37, Kansas State 30, Michigan State 29, Ohio State 29, Michigan 19, BYU 14, Oregon 12, McNeese State 11, Miami 11, Boise State 9, Saint Louis 9, Clemson 9, Providence 9, Mississippi State 6, VCU 6, Wisconsin 5, Saint Mary’s 5, Louisville 4, UAB 4, Arkansas Little Rock 3, Grand Canyon 3, Arizona State 2, San Diego State 2, Princeton 2, High Point 1, Maryland 1.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions.

Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF