Strike a pose
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Batter up!
Softball’s postseason is producing so many showstopping moments, even the Biebers’ baby can’t match the star power. Let’s catch you up before you slide into the weekend.
— UConn women’s basketball rising senior and standout guard Azzi Fudd, speaking about her injury-riddled college career during a panel at this week’s espnW Summit. Fudd missed all but two games last season due to ACL and medial meniscus tears. Cannot wait for Paige Bueckers’ partner in crime to come back stronger than ever.
Women's lacrosse
🥍 History in the making
The GIST: This weekend’s must-watch athlete is a superstar at the pinnacle of her sport — she’s winning all the awards and securing an all-time scoring record…and no, it’s not Caitlin Clark. No. 1 Northwestern’s sixth-year attacker Izzy Scane is the women’s lacrosse moment, and as the national tourney kicks off today, she’s proving why.
The natty: Scane led her reigning champion Wildcats to a 15-2 season record and the bracket’s top seed, meaning the Lake Show has a bye today and will begin their repeat campaign Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+. But a second ’ship isn’t the only landmark on Scane’s mind this weekend…
The scoring record: The attacker is currently tied for the Division I career scoring record, women’s or men’s, with 358 (!!!) goals — a milestone she’ll almost certainly pass on Sunday, as she’s averaging over four goals per game this year.
- Even more impressive? After a COVID-19–shortened sophomore season and a junior campaign missed due to an ACL tear, Scane is set to break the record in just 81 games — six fewer than the current record-holder, Boston College alum Charlotte North. Wow.
The MVP awards: Of her many achievements, Scane’s Tewaaraton recognition is the most striking. She was one of five finalists for college lacrosse’s Player of the Year award in 2021, won the trophy last year, and was named a finalist yet again yesterday. Given her continued dominance, she’s poised to become the sixth woman ever to ever win it twice
The top draftee: Like her hoops doppelgänger, Scane was also the overall No. 1 pick in her pro draft: She and her teammate and bestie, Erin Coykendall, were the top two selections in Wednesday’s Athletes Unlimited Draft. So, mark you cal because, along with 14 other draftees, this dynamite duo will make their pro debuts this July. L(ax)FG!
Softball
🥎 Highlights for days
The GIST: When two different college softball games make SportsCenter’s Top 10, you know that this week’s conference tournaments are popping off. With automatic bids to the national tournament on the line, the girlies are stuffing your feed with web gems, walk-offs, and extra-inning barnburners.
Top seeds suffer upsets: Fans are shook after No. 1–seed Tennessee took a 2–1 loss to No. 8 LSU in last night’s SEC quarter-finals, then Big Ten No. 1 Northwestern piled onto the chaos with a 4–3 loss to No. 8 Indiana. The semifinal fields in both conferences are now wide open, setting the stage for tense showdowns today and tomorrow.
- The ACC avoided a similar fate, though, after No. 1 Duke second baseman Aminah Vega hit a walk-off two-run homer to break a scoreless tie in the 10th inning against No. 9 Boston College yesterday. Phew.
Georgia wins 14-inning thriller: The SEC ’s No. 7–seed Bulldogs and No. 10 Auburn were deadlocked 2–2 until the 14th inning Wednesday night, when Auburn left fielder KK McCrary hit a three-run blast to secure a 5–2 lead. Double the innings, double the drama.
- But it didn’t last long: In the bottom of the inning, Bulldog right fielder Jayda Kearney equalized with her own three-run bomb before catcher Sarah Gordon’s solo homer sealed the walk-off dub for Georgia 6–5.
BYU stuns No. 2–ranked Oklahoma State: Just five days after bringing down powerhouse Oklahoma, Big 12 No. 3–seed Oklahoma State suffered a shocking 7–2 beatdown by underdog No. 6 BYU yesterday — ousting the Cowgirls from the quarter-finals and robbing fans of an Oklahoma State–Oklahoma semifinal rematch. Can the Cougars capture another Sooner State upset today at 6 p.m. ET?
What’s next: Most conference tourneys will hand out hardware on Saturday, giving champs plenty of time to gloat before Sunday’s 7 p.m. ET natty selection show. Tune into ESPN2 to see which Regional your squad lands in…if they make the bracket, that is.
💸 NIL movement
LSU football head coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday that the Tigers’ transfer portal recruitment has suffered because they’re “not in the market of buying players,” a striking testament to the potential inequality that programs — even very rich, high-profile ones — can suffer due to athletes’ NIL expectations. No wonder the NCAA is pushing for more legislation to regulate NIL.
⚖️ Hazing lawsuits
Ten months after allegations of hazing, abuse, bullying, and racism in Northwestern’s football team surfaced — leading to then–head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s firing — three of the affected players filed lawsuits against the university and Fitzgerald on Wednesday. Here’s hoping these survivors find justice.
⚾🏈 Multi-sport athlete
Former MLB player Monte Harrison, who played outfield for the Miami Marlins and LA Angels, is living out his alternate reality: After skipping college to pursue his pro baseball career in 2014, the 28-year-old is now planning to join Arkansas’ football team as a walk-on wide receiver next season. It’s giving 21 Jump Street.
🏆 National championships
On the courts, the women’s and men’s tennis national team championships continue with the Super Regional round, aka the round of 16, today and tomorrow. In the pool, women’s water polo will crown their champ on Sunday — but first, today’s quarter-finals.
- And on the lax field, the men’s lacrosse tournament first round kicks off this weekend. The spiciest matchups? No. 5–seed Denver vs. Michigan tomorrow at 5 p.m. ET and No. 8–seed Georgetown vs. Penn State Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET, both on ESPNU.
Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:
🏀 What to watch
Full Court Press. The new, four-episode docuseries on NCAA women's basketball stars Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso, and Kiki Rice premieres tomorrow.
🎾 Who’s got style
Tennis players. Inspired by Challengers, check out this thread showcasing the most iconic looks in tennis history.
⛳ Who’s hitting the links
City Girls Golf. The Black woman–owned golf academy is gaining traction with the PGA, espnW, and Naomi Osaka’s Hana Kuma for empowering women of color on the golf course. Absolutely love to see it.
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