Category: TEAMS

Auburn to officially make the switch from Under Armour to Nike

Auburn’s long-time deal with Under Armour will expire in 2025, paving the way for Nike to become the program’s official uniform provider.

After spending 18 seasons as Auburn’s official uniform and apparel provider, Under Armour will make one last run on the Plains in 2024.

Auburn Athletics announced Tuesday that its deal with Under Armour will end next summer, paving the way for Nike to become the program’s next provider of uniforms, shoes, and apparel. Auburn athletic director [autotag]John Cohen[/autotag] is excited for the next chapter in Tigers’ athletics.

“We are excited to enter this new partnership with Nike, a brand that consistently champions athletes and sport around the world. We are appreciative of their strong support throughout this process. We believe that our 10-year agreement, beginning in July 2025, will continue to elevate Auburn and best serve our student-athletes and our university moving forward. We are also grateful to Kevin Plank and Under Armour for their 18 years of valued partnership in growing the Auburn brand and serving our student athletes, coaches, and fans. We look forward to the opportunity to celebrate this relationship throughout the final year ahead.”

Under Armour became Auburn’s official uniform outfitter in 2006, replacing Auburn’s deal with longtime provider, Russell Athletic. The original contract was for five years and was worth $10.6 million. In 2015, Auburn restructured its contract for 10 years and $78.1 million, plus $10 million in Under Armour stock.

Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live reports that Apple CEO and Auburn alum [autotag]Tim Cook[/autotag] played a major role in negotiations. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and [autotag]Bruce Pearl[/autotag] were also open to moving on from Under Armour in favor of Nike.

Auburn’s current contract with Under Armour will expire in the Summer of 2025, and Nike will become Auburn’s official uniform provider immediately following the final event of the 2024-25 athletic season.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

Report: Andrew Wiggins expected to return to team activities with Warriors this week

After missing four games due to a serious personal matter, Andrew Wiggins has returned to practice with the Warriors.

While going 3-1 on their recent road swing, the Golden State Warriors were without a key piece in the rotation. Andrew Wiggins was out for the entirety of Golden State’s trip as he tended to a serious family matter.

After missing four games, Wiggins could be on his way back to the court. According to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Wiggins is expected to return to team activities with the Warriors this week. Wiggins returned to practice on Tuesday, per Charania.

Via @ShamsCharania on Twitter:

During 51 games in the 2023-24 season, Wiggins is averaging 12.7 points on 45.5% shooting from the field with 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 27.2 minutes per contest.

The Warriors host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PT at San Francisco’s Chase Center.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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Report: Warriors signing former college lacrosse player Pat Spencer to two-way contract

The former college lacrosse All-American is reportedly signing a two-way contract with the Warriors.

After converting Lester Quinones’ contract to a standard NBA deal, the Golden State Warriors have reportedly found a player to fill his two-way role before the All-Star break ends.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Warriors are signing G League guard Pat Spencer to a two-way contract. After playing one season of college basketball at Northwestern, Spencer played the past two seasons with Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

Via @anthonyVslater on X:

Spencer had an unorthodox journey to the NBA. Before joining Northwestern for the 2019-2020 season, Spencer played four seasons of Division I lacrosse at Loyola University Maryland. During his time at Loyola, Spencer became the all-time leader in Division I career assists. As a junior, Spencer earned the Tewaaraton Award for most outstanding player. In 2019, Spencer was selected No. 1 overall by the Utah Archers in the Professional Lacrosse League draft.

Instead of playing lacrosse professionally, Spencer opted to play basketball at Northwestern as a graduate student, averaging 10.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in a single season.

In 37 career games in the G League with Santa Cruz, the 27-year-old averaged 11.2 points on 50% shooting from the field and 42.4% from deep to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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See the reaction Dak Prescott’s cadence draws from NFL fans

NFL fans gave their opinions as to Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott’s new pre-snap cadence. Here were some of the best results.

Thanksgiving means family and football, which means the Dallas Cowboys dominate a significant portion of homes during Turkey Day get-togethers.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott changed his cadence going into the 2023 season. Previously using a version that was a holdover from Jason Garrett’s offense that was carried on down through Kellen Moore, Prescott went from saying “white 80 set” to something a little more conventional: “here we go.”

With audio turned up and the Cowboys playing in their own set aside game, football fans may have heard it for the first time this season. Of course, the cadence drew some responses. Here are some of the best.

Top 3 performers from Houston Rockets win over New Orleans Pelicans

Here are the Houston Rockets top three statistical performers from their win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Houston Rockets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, Nov. 10. Ime Udoka‘s team has won five straight games and has been playing some solid basketball during that period.

Fred VanVleet came alive down the stretch with two 3s while drawing fouls. Alperen Sengun continued to embrace Udoka’s philosophy of physical basketball and made a significant impression in the fourth quarter.

Houston appears to be trending in the right direction. However, getting an improved scoring punch from the bench rotation wouldn’t hurt its chances of sustaining the current performance level. The Rockets bench provided a combined 19 points. However, Tari Eason gave his team a spark on the glass, grabbing eight rebounds, seven of which were on the defensive end.

The Rockets will be back in action on Sunday, Nov. 12, when they face the tough task of trying to slow down the Denver Nuggets. Before we begin looking ahead, let’s take a look at Houston’s top three statistical performers from their win over the Pelicans.

Auburn equestrian wins fifth-straight SEC Championship

The Tigers have now won six SEC Championships overall.

The Auburn equestrian team continued its dominance over the SEC on Saturday, winning its fifth-straight SEC title. The No. 1 Tigers beat No. 2 Texas A&M, 13-6, at One Wood Farm in Blythewood, South Carolina.

“This team is unbelievable,” head coach Greg Williams said. “They brought the energy today and it was just another special championship for our team. To win five straight is remarkable and I’m so proud of all the hard work and effort that went in to win today.”

The Tigers have won six SEC titles (2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) since the league began sponsoring the sport in 2013.

“It means the world to win another championship with this team,” Olivia Tordoff said. “I wholeheartedly believe the SEC is the hardest conference and to win in this conference truly means more. Seeing this group come together the way we did today is something really special. This win is for those who paved the way before us and for the next group to be a part of this team.”

Tordoff was named to the SEC All-Championship team after going 2-0-0 in Horsemanship. The Tigers had three Most Outstanding Performer honors for the championship meet. Ema Kurtz won Fences, Ellie Ferrigno won Flat, and Madison Parduhn won Horsemanship.

“I really feel like I thrive under pressure and live for big moments like those this weekend,” Kurtz said. “I’m so grateful for the amazing horses I was able to ride. In this sport, dominant performances are just as dependent on the horse as they are on the rider and I’m thankful I got to put up big numbers for my team.”

Auburn’s Jumping Seat corps led the way by going 8-1-1 between Fences and Flat. Auburn also won Horsemanship, beating the Aggies 3-2.

Up next for Auburn is the 2023 NCEA Championship in Ocala, Florida. The meet will be held April 13-15 at the World Equestrian Center with Auburn hosting.

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4 takeaways from Giants QB Daniels Jones’ contract extension press conference

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones signed a four-year, $160 million contract. Here are four takeaways from his presser announcing the deal.

The New York Giants inked former 2019 first-round quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract March 7.

The Giants and Jones were flirting with the 4:00 p.m. ET deadline. Otherwise Jones would have been the Giants’ franchise tag player.

“I was in the building,” Jones said. “I think it was 3:53 or 3:54, something like that. It was right up next to the deadline.”

Jones compiled a 9-6-1 record for the Giants last season as part of their 9-7-1 campaign. The former Duke product led New York to its first playoff win since 2011 with a 31-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC wild-card.

Here are four takeaways from Jones’ presser.

Hall of Fame guard Alan Faneca opens up about epilepsy and the Steelers under Mike Tomlin

Hall of Fame guard Alan Faneca spent a Q-&-A to raise epilepsy awareness with STEPS Toward Zero, and shared thoughts on Mike Tomlin.

If you need to clear a path, ask Alan Faneca.

The Hall of Fame guard opened up numerous running lanes for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1998-2007 and later for the New York Jets (2008-09) and Arizona Cardinals (2010).

Faneca, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021, is partnering with SK Life Science to open up the lanes of awareness about epilepsy with the STEPS (Seize the Truth about Epilepsy Perceptions Survey) Toward Zero campaign.

The six-time All-Pro sat down with Touchdown Wire to answer questions about his experience with epilepsy and also shared insights on the Pittsburgh Steelers and coach Mike Tomlin.

‘They’ll be here through the duration’: Big 12 commissioner on timing of OU-Texas SEC exit

Speaking with the media at Big 12 basketball media days, Brett Yormark discussed Oklahoma and Texas are committed to the Big 12 through the current media grant of rights agreement.

The Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns will one day make the move to the SEC. Since the landmark announcement in the Summer of 2021, the lingering question has been, when?

The current grant of rights agreement between the Big 12 and their television partners runs through the 2024-2025 school calendar. However, it’s been assumed that Oklahoma and Texas would negotiate a buy-out of their contracts to make an early exit for their new athletic home.

Speaking to the media at Big 12 basketball media days, Brett Yormark described that the two schools are committed to staying through the end of the current grand of rights agreement.

“They’ve committed themselves in advance of me getting here and they’ve reiterated that commitment,” Yormark said at Big 12 basketball media days. “So, they’ll be here through the duration.”

That seems about as clear as it could be that the Sooners and the Longhorns have two more seasons after this one in the Big 12.

Next year, the conference will welcome four new members as BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF take the conference from 10 to 14 schools. Yormark said in his media session that the conference will not implement divisions. Instead, each team will play all 14 members over a two-year period.

While the SEC move may not come as early as some would like, at least there’s a chance we’ll have this to look forward to in 2023 or 2024.

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Auburn Morning Rush: Volleyball drops match to LSU, Gymnast among top NIL earners

Catch up on the latest headlines from Volleyball, Soccer, Gymnastics, and Basketball on Thursday’s Auburn Morning Rush.

Good morning, Tiger fans. It is time to dig into the latest news surrounding Auburn athletics.

Today’s rush is dominated heavily by Women’s sports. We begin by recapping Auburn Volleyball’s tough five-set loss to LSU Wednesday, which ends their perfect season. We also preview Auburn Soccer’s road trip to Kentucky on Thursday night, as they look to earn their first SEC win.

Our third news headline involving women’s sports is all about NIL. Which Auburn athlete is among the nation’s most valuable?

Finally, the 2022 SEC Tipoff is set to take place in Birmingham later this month, we reveal Auburn’s representatives for the Basketball media event.

Get your day started by catching up on the latest headlines surrounding Auburn athletics with Thursday’s Auburn Morning Rush: