Both Oregon track teams are in first after two days of the 2015 NCAA track & field championships, and each hold a nine-point lead heading into Friday. Tyson Winter has more in this conference-wide recap. Also, Oregon softball coach Mike White signed a contract extension through 2021 to stay in Eugene. He’ll make on average $237,500 per year. Not bad.
Washington junior Kristina Oswinski set a school record in the pole vault Thursday, as her clearing of 14 feet 5 ¼ inches landed her in fourth place in the event.
Interesting read from Laken Litman of For the Win on how Sweden saved Christen Press’ World Cup dreams. The scorer of the game-winning goal against Australia Monday played professionally in Sweden after the WPS folded in 2012. USWNT plays Sweden Friday in its second group-stage affair.
Tsk, tsk – Steve Kerr lied to the media before Game 4 about his starting lineup. Telling reporters he would use the same lineup as he had in the first three games, Kerr knew all along that he would start fellow Wildcat Andre Iguodala instead of the Runnin’ Ute Andrew Bogut. “I don’t think they hand you the trophy based on morality,” Kerr told the media after Golden State stomped Cleveland 103-82 Thursday night. “They give it to you if you win.” If you ain’t lyin’ you ain’t tryin’, right?
In addition to being a beast in the pool, Missy Franklin was named the women’s Academic All-American of the Year. Golf clap.
UCLA women’s tennis player Robin Anderson won the Honda Sports Award for tennis for the second straight year.
Jordan Moore notes in The RipsIt Blog that USC catcher Garrett Stubbs was named a First Team All-American by Baseball America, which makes him USC baseball’s first All-American since 2005.
Sweetness – Arizona State hockey will host the Desert Hockey Classic in January 2016, bringing in Yale, Michigan Tech and UCONN. These games will be the first NCAA hockey contests played in the state of Arizona since 1985.
Oregon State basketball guard Gary Payton II will participate in the first-ever Nike Basketball Academy (June 26-30 in Santa Monica, California). LBJ, Durant, Kyrie and Anthony Davis will mentor Payton II and other attendees, according to this Connor Letourneau link.
Brian Howell features Colorado women’s basketball incoming freshman Makenzie Ellis. She is part of a recruiting class that has been ranked in the top 25 by some publications and is recovering from a torn ACL that forced her to miss her senior year in high school.
Washington State volleyball signed Mexican National Team player Jocelyn Urias to a National Letter of Intent, Cougars head honcho Jen Greeny announced Friday.
Athlon Sports named four Utah football players to its 2015 Preseason All-Pac-12 first team: RB Devontae Booker, DE Hunter Dimick, P Tom Hackett and K Andy Phillips.