Ryan Blaney took control of the race with a pass for the lead on the restart with 116 laps to go, then drove to his first victory of the NASCAR Cup Series season in the Cracker Barrel 400 on June 1 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Blaney won Stage 2 but dropped behind Joey Logano after pit stops at the stage break. Blaney then drove by Logano on a restart on Lap 199 and held the top spot for the majority of the final 100 laps.

The final pit cycle completed under green, with Blaney holding a sizeable lead over second-place Carson Hocevar and third-place Denny Hamlin.

Hocevar finished in second for the second time this season, tying his career-best finish in the Cup Series.

Here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville:

NASCAR Nashville winners and losers:

Winner: Carson Hocevar

Hocevar is a future star in the sport, and always a part of the story. Sunday’s race had the best and worst of Hocevar, all in 300 laps.

In Stage 2, Hocevar drove hard into turn 3 and bumped Ricky Stenhouse Jr., sending the No. 47 Chevrolet spinning and into the wall. Stenhouse did not finish, credited with 39th, then told Amazon in an interview that retribution could be coming.

But Hocevar finished the second stage in the top 10, then worked the strategy late to end up second after the final pit cycle completed with about 30 laps to go.

Hocevar couldn’t cut into Blaney’s lead at the end, but was able to hold off Hamlin to finish second. It ties a runner-up finish at Atlanta earlier this season as his career-best in the Cup Series.

Winner: Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace needed a good finish badly, but probably did not think he would get one early in the race.

Wallace was penalized for speeding on the first stop of the race, on Lap 44. He lost a lap, and wasn’t able to get it back at the stage end.

Wallace did get the free pass on Lap 104 as a group of cautions helped the bottom of the running order, then steadily climbed the leaderboard.

The No. 23 Toyota entered the top 10 early in the final stage, and Wallace drove up into sixth on the final run.

Wallace entered Nashville with three straight DNFs, dropping out of the top 10 in points. Sunday’s result should help Wallace and his 23XI Racing team reset positively as the second half of the regular season begins this month.

Loser: Alex Bowman

Alex Bowman’s stretch of poor finishes continued on Sunday in Nashville after wrecking alongside Noah Gragson early in Stage 2.

Bowman’s 36th-place finish is his fifth finish of 29th or worse in the last seven races, and it puts into question his playoff status with 12 regular-season races left.

To give context on Bowman’s struggles: He finished second at Homestead and was third in points through six races. After Nashville, Bowman is in 12th in points.

Loser: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stenhouse was on the receiving end of Hocevar’s too-aggressive bumping on Lap 106. (That incident comes up a couple times, doesn’t it?)

The No. 47 Chevrolet was a model of consistency throughout the first 13 races, coming into Nashville at 13th in points despite just two top-10 finishes but no finishes outside the top 25.

But Hocevar’s contact sent Stenhouse into the wall, out of the race and down the standings and the playoff picture.

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ERIN, Wis. — It wasn’t that Maja Stark felt overly confident this week. Quite the contrary, in fact. The 25-year-old Swede came into the 80th U.S. Women’s Open with low expectations, thinking more about her status on tour than winning.

‘I think that I just stopped trying to control everything,’ said Stark, ‘and I just kind of let everything happen the way it happened.’

What unfolded on the wide and sometimes wild fairways and greens of Erin Hills was a fairy tale for Stark, who became the third Swede to win the U.S. Women’s Open, following in the footsteps of Liselotte Neumann and Annika Sorenstam.

‘They texted me yesterday and just kind of said, bring it home,’ said Stark, who entered the final round with a one-shot lead. ‘That was already cool to just get those texts. Just looking at all the names on the trophy. I love the U.S. Opens. I’m so happy that it’s mine now.’

To clinch her first major title, a steady Stark had to hold off an army of contenders on a golf course that can strike at any moment. Chief among those was world No. 1 Nelly Korda and a trio of Japanese hotshots in rookie Rio Takeda and major champions Mao Saigo and Hinako Shibuno.

‘I just felt like people are going to pass me probably,’ said Stark of her mindset with so many formidable chasers, ‘and I just had to stay calm through that.’

An aggressive player who often carries a good deal of swagger, Stark said in her post-tournament press conference that she didn’t want to rely on her confidence this week. Instead, little tricks like hovering the club above the ground before she hit to release tension, served her well.

Stark said her coach, Joe Hallett, ‘nailed the advice this week,’ particularly when it came to came putting.

‘He said that on my short putts I tend to be – if it’s for par, I tend to be a little bit too curious, like I just look at the hole too much and I end up open with my shoulders and my face,’ said Stark.

‘I’m left-eye dominant, so if I just look at the hole like that, then I end up seeing the line too far to the right. So he just said kind of tilt your head and just make sure that your shoulders are aligned.’

Stark finished the week fifth in strokes-gained putting, fourth in strokes-gained approach and 20th in strokes-gained off the tee. She was exceptionally solid throughout the bag and extra patient.

‘She was just really in the moment,’ said her comedian-turned-caddie Jeff Brighton, ‘and hit the right shots at the right time.’

Stark, who didn’t look at a leaderboard until the 17th, never lost the lead she’d slept on, closing with a 2-under 70 to finish at 7 under for the tournament, two strokes clear of Nelly Korda and Rio Takeda.

Korda, winless thus far in 2025, got within a stroke of the lead after she made the turn in 34, but as Stark made birdie on the par-4 11th, Korda dropped a shot up ahead at the 13th, building the Swede’s lead to three.

Korda often describes her relationship with the U.S. Women’s Open as complicated, and when asked why that is, said maybe it’s because she first played in one at age 14 and feels more emotionally tied.

‘I mean, definitely it’s gotten my heart broken a couple times,’ said Korda, ‘especially last year with coming off the season I was coming off of. To have that showing last year definitely put a dagger into my heart, but that’s just golf.

‘You’re going to lose more than you win a majority of the time. I feel like I actually learn a lot about myself and my game and where I need to improve playing the U.S. Women’s Open because it does test every part of your game.’

Before this week, Stark was worried that it might be some time before she played decent golf again. Her game felt so far away. Now she’s just the 56th player to ever hoist the U.S. Women’s Open trophy, and she couldn’t stop smiling.

‘I wasn’t as nervous as I thought that I would be because it felt like I have somewhat control of my game and I kind of know what’s going on,’ she said.

‘Then obviously with the pressure and everything, your mistakes get bigger, but it felt like I could just like control anything that was thrown at me really today.’

Vanderbilt, the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, was upset in its home regional, losing two out of three games.
The Commodores’ offense struggled mightily, batting .132 for the regional and getting no-hit for six innings in the opening game.
This marks Vanderbilt’s fourth straight year failing to advance past the opening regional round of the NCAA Tournament.

If you happen to see the Vanderbilt baseball team from the past few weeks, the one that won an epic series in Knoxville, swept through the SEC Tournament and earned the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, please notify someone on campus. People are looking for those Commodores.

Most of them weren’t at the NCAA Regional at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tennessee.

Most of the Commodores hitters who did show up in their uniforms to lose two games in three days, ending a strong season in the weakest of fashions, were strangers.

They didn’t just play poorly. They played tight and timid and terrified of the moment. The opposite of this season’s famously clutch performances, these Commodores wanted zero smoke. They wilted in the hazy pressure, and it only got worse as that pressure increased.

A weekend that started alarming, with a close call in a 4-3 comeback victory over Wright State, turned disappointing with a 3-2 loss to Louisville, dropping Vanderbilt into the losers’ bracket. Then it just got embarrassing the next afternoon, with Wright State plating four runs in the first inning and withstanding a late rally to hold on for a 5-4 victory in an elimination game, putting Vanderbilt out of its misery.

And, truly, this was misery for any Vanderbilt fan unfortunate enough to be there to witness it.

The top-seeded Commodores played 27 innings, and they trailed in all but one. Their pitching and defense, for the most part, was solid enough.

But offensively? Haha.

In the opener, the Commodores were no-hit for six innings by a Wright State pitcher, Cam Allen, with an ERA above 5. Against Louisville, they didn’t have an extra-base hit or an RBI. Then, in the saddest of them all, Vanderbilt was silenced by another Raiders pitcher, Griffen Paige, who opened the game with an ERA of 8.90. Paige allowed one hit – ONE! – in eight innings.

For the regional, Vanderbilt batted .132 and didn’t get its first hit of the regional with a runner in scoring position until down to its final out in the final game. Prior to that, Vanderbilt started the regional 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Bad luck. Bad at-bats. Bad swings. Bad everything.

Such a thorough humbling for the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, while stunning, would’ve been even more so if it didn’t continue a rough narrative for the home team.

This NCAA Tournament is no longer the Commodores’ playground. It’s now their house of horrors.

Since losing in the College World Series’ final game in 2021, Vanderbilt has failed to make it out of an opening regional for four consecutive years and counting. Its record in NCAA games the past three years is 2-6 (four losses were at Hawkins Field) and there are losses to Xavier, High Point and Wright State.

Last season’s 0-for-2 showing in an NCAA regional (including that High Point loss) seemed a turning point for a declining Vanderbilt program that appeared to get its act together in 2025.

These Commodores were a good team that had some good moments. Most notably, they regained control of the in-state rivalry against Tennessee, punctuating it with a blowout win over the Vols in the SEC Tournament. The No. 1 seed was a nice, surprise bonus, too.

But in college baseball, none of it means much without success at the end of the season. And that is when Vanderbilt’s baseball program has picked up a habit of shrinking from the challenge.

This was a priceless opportunity to change the narrative by proving otherwise.

Instead, with Vanderbilt’s regional embarrassment of 2025, that narrative is stronger than ever. And it’s impossible to dispute.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social

This story was updated to add new information

Carlos Edwin Colón Coates Jr., better known as pro wrestler Carlito, will not return to the WWE.

He announced on X that his current contract was set to expire in late June and would not be renewed. Carlito took a lighthearted approach to the news on social media and joked that he was going to own the company before adding, “All jokes aside, gracias WWE & especially the WWE universe. Los quiero mucho!”

Carlito returned to the company in 2023 when he returned at the premium live event, Backlash, to assist rapper Bad Bunny during a match in Puerto Rico. He spent most of his recent tenure in a supporting role as a member of the Judgement Day faction.

Carlito had originally joined the company in 2003 before leaving in 2010. The Puerto Rican wrestler only made a few sporadic appearances before returning full-time in 2023. He made two brief appearances on WWE programming, inducting his father Carlos Colón into the Hall of Fame in 2014 and participating in the 2021 Royal Rumble.

One of the more notable moments of his recent tenure was when he was speared by Bron Breakker.

Carlito’s WWE career achievements

Carlito won the United States Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, the WWE Tag Team Championships and the World Tag Team Championship.

What’s next for Carlito?

Carlito isn’t looking to slow down his career after winning the World Wrestling Council Puerto Rican Championship. The 46-year-old wrestler started his professional wrestling career with WWC in 1999. He had previously returned to WWC in 2010.

WWC is a wrestling promotion owned by his father.

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The 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament regional round is wrapping up.

That means the field in contention for the 2025 College World Series shrinks from the initial 64 teams to just 16 teams as regionals wrap up across 16 host sites on June 1 and 2. The next round is the super regionals, held across eight host sites, with eight teams advancing to the CWS at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

While the top eight seeds are usually in line to host the super regional round, there have been upsets early in the regional round, which could shuffle potential host sites.

Here’s what you need to know about who is advancing to the super regionals, the hosts and when the games start:

Watch NCAA baseball super regionals with ESPN+

Who is in the NCAA baseball tournament super regionals?

Here are the teams that have won regionals and advanced to the super regional round of the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament:

This section will be updated

No. 9 Florida State (won Tallahassee Regional)
No. 13 Coastal Carolina (won Conway Regional)
Duke (won Athens Regional)
West Virginia (won Clemson Regional)

When are the NCAA baseball tournament super regionals?

The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament super regionals are scheduled to begin on June 6 and run through June 9. Across eight super regional sites, 16 teams will play three-game series to determine who advances to the College World Series (CWS).

NCAA baseball tournament schedule

Here’s the full 2025 NCAA baseball tournament schedule:

Regionals: May 30-June 2
Super regionals: June 6-9
College World Series: June 13-22/23
CWS finals: June 21-22/23

The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament began May 30 with the regional round of play. It will advance to the super regionals (June 6-9) and the College World Series (beginning June 23). The CWS championship series will take place from June 21 through either June 22 or 23, depending on whether the series requires two or three games.

A Swede who once dominated Big 12 golf at Oklahoma State, Maja Stark captured her first major by winning the U.S. Women’s Open.

Stark, 25, won the 80th Open by two strokes over American Nelly Korda and Japan’s Rio Takeda at Erin Hills near Milwaukee.

Celebrate Stark’s historic victory with a beautifully designed commemorative page print from USA TODAY. Featuring a bold headline and a striking image of Stark celebrating on the challenging Erin Hills course, this keepsake captures the moment perfectly.

Buy our U.S. Women’s Open page print

Printed on premium, acid-free art paper, this collectible starts at $35 (plus shipping). Elegant upgrade options include framed editions and backgrounds in canvas, acrylic, metal or wood through the USA TODAY Store.

As a sophomore at Oklahoma State in 2021, after COVID-19 short-circuited her first season in the States, Stark was the player of the year in the Big 12. She turned pro that summer. She has won six times on the Ladies European Tour, represented Europe in the Solheim Cup, competed for her homeland at the Paris Olympics and finished second in a major in 2024, just two strokes behind Korda at the Chevron Open.

Own a piece of golf history today! This rising Swedish star and former Cowgirl is just getting started.

Buy our commemorative Florida posters

Contact Gene Myers at gmyers@gannett.com. Follow him on X@GeneMyers. After nearly a quarter-century as sports editor at the Detroit Free Press, Myers unretired to coordinate book and poster projects across the USA TODAY Network. Explore more books and page prints from the USA TODAY Network, including titles on the Florida Gators’ NCAA basketball championship and the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory in Super Bowl 59.

Scottie Scheffler just keeps on winning.

Scheffler — the world No. 1 — shot 2-under 70 during Sunday’s final round to win the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Scheffler became the first golfer to win consecutive Memorial Tournament titles since Tiger Woods pulled off a three-peat from 1999-2001. It also marked Scheffler’s third PGA Tour win in his last four starts.

The Memorial Tournament is in the final round at the esteemed Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, where the clash of the best golfers in the world is underway.

The Memorial Tournament, a beacon of philanthropy, extends its support to numerous charities in collaboration with organizations like the Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. Despite this noble focus, the tournament offers a substantial prize purse for the top finishers at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

The prize purse for the Memorial Tournament is an impressive $20 million, with the winner receiving $4 million. The second-place finisher will earn $2.2 million, while the third-place finisher will take home $1.4 million.

Let’s delve into the prize money distribution, shedding light on the substantial rewards that await the top finishers at the Memorial Tournament.

What is the total purse for the 2025 Memorial Tournament?

The total purse for the 2025 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is $20 million. The first place winner will take home $4 million of the prize purse.

2025 Memorial Tournament: Purse breakdown for PGA Tour event

Money amounts don’t include ties. All figures according to the PGA Tour

First place: Scottie Scheffler (-10) – $4 million
Second place: Ben Griffin (-6) – $2.2 million
Third place: Sepp Straka (-5) – $1.4 million
Fourth place: Nick Taylor (-4) – $1 million
Fifth place (tie): Maverick McNealy (-2) – $800,000
Fifth place (tie): Russell Henley (-2) – $800,000
Seventh place (tie): Brandt Snedeker (-1) – $603,200
Seventh place (tie): Tom Hoge (-1) – $603,200
Seventh place (tie): Rickie Fowler (-1) – $603,200
Seventh place (tie): Jordan Spieth (-1) – $603,200
Seventh place (tie): Keegan Bradley (-1) – $603,200
12th place (tie): Patrick Cantlay (E) – $415,000
12th place (tie): Taylor Pendrith (E) – $415,000
12th place (tie): Harris English (E) – $415,000
12th place (tie): Sam Burns (E) – $415,000
16th place (tie): Ludvig Aberg (+1) – $319,000
16th place (tie): Tommy Fleetwood (+1) – $319,000
16th place (tie): Akshay Bhatia (+1) – $319,000
16th place (tie): Sungjae Im (+1) – $319,000
20th place (tie): Collin Morikawa (+2) – $250,666
20th place (tie): Robert MacIntyre (+2) – $250,666
20th place (tie): Ryan Fox (+2) – $250,666

Controversy has taken the spotlight as the Women’s College World Series on June 1.

However, the celebration for UCLA quickly turned to worry.

After the home run, Grant was mobbed by teammates at home plate to celebrate the home run. When Grant took her final step to home plate, she missed the plate and was touched by teammates. Eventually, catcher Alexis Ramirez assisted Grant to touch home plate.

Following a lengthy umpire review, the officials ruled that while Grant did not initially touch home plate and was assisted to touch it afterwards, the run counted because ‘play is not reviewable according to Appendix G.’

Tennessee coach Karen Weekly quickly moved to file a protest and was heated following the review. However, the ABC broadcast following the inning break informed the audience that because the play was not reviewable, the Lady Vols could not protest.

But why did the run count? Here’s what you need to know:

Why did Karen Grant’s run count?

Replays quickly showed that Grant did not touch home plate right away and received assistance from her teammate Ramirez, who was the on-deck hitter, to touch the plate.

If the umpires had seen Grant missing home plate and receiving assistance from Ramirez, they could have ruled her out. If Grant had been ruled out, it would have ended the game with a Lady Vols 4-3 win, as Grant’s run would not have counted and the play happened with two outs in the inning.

With this being an elimination game with the winner going to the WCWS semifinals and the loser heading home, the stakes on the call could not be bigger.

According to Appendix G, this is what is reviewable:

1. Regarding batted balls (any ball higher than the top of the foul pole when itleaves the field cannot have that aspect reviewed):

a. Deciding if a batted ball called fair is fair or foul.
b. Deciding if a batted ball called foul should be a ground-rule double,home run, or hit-by-pitch.
c. Deciding if a batted ball is or is not a home run.

2. Regarding pitched balls at the plate:

a. Deciding if a pitch ruled a dropped third strike was caught before the balltouched the ground.
b. Deciding whether a live or dead ball should be changed to a foul ball.c. Deciding whether a foul ball should be changed to a foul tip only with nobase runners, or if it would result in a third out.
d. Deciding whether a batter is entitled to an award of first base per HitBatter (by Pitch) – whether the ball hit the batter, whether the ball wasentirely in the batter’s box, whether the batter made an attempt to getout of the way of the pitch when required, and/or whether the batterintentionally tried to get hit by the pitch (see Rule 11.13).

3. Spectator interference.
4. Obstruction and interference (including collisions).
5. Deciding if malicious/flagrant contact occurred. Umpires may initiate thisreview without requiring a coach’s challenge at any point in the game toensure student-athlete safety.
6. Timing plays (deciding whether a third out is made before the lead baserunner touches home plate).
7. Force/Tag Play Calls: Plays involving all runners acquiring the base beforethe defensive player’s attempt to put the runner out at any base.
8. Blocked or dead ball/Placement of Runners: Deciding whether a ball notruled blocked should be ruled blocked, and the proper placement of runners(per the rules/case book) after any blocked or dead ball call.
9. A catch or no catch in any situation.
10. Runners leaving the base prior to the touch on a fly ball (tagging up), runners missing a base and runners leaving early on a pitch.

Note: The crew chief may not initiate a review of runners leaving early on a pitch. This review is only allowed by a coach’s challenge.

11. Any of the listed reviewable items if the action on the field results in a deadball.

Tennessee softball’s elimination game against UCLA in the 2025 Women’s College World Series on Sunday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City sent fans across the country to a place few would have anticipated when they tuned into the matchup — the NCAA rule book.

With the Lady Vols leading the Bruins 4-2 in the top of the seventh inning with two outs, Megan Grant smacked a two-run, game-tying home run off Tennessee flame-thrower Karlyn Pickens. 

What initially appeared to be a straightforward — albeit incredibly consequential — play soon became a subject of controversy.

After rounding third base, Grant headed home, with her teammates waiting there to mob her. Grant, however, did not initially touch home plate and only did so several seconds later after teammate Alexis Ramirez prompted her to do so.

Umpires prompted a lengthy video review, which ultimately resulted in the call on the field being upheld, even though Grant had not originally touched the plate and had been assisted to go back and make contact. However, the play wasn’t reviewable according to Appendix G. The decision sent the game into extra innings.

The ruling led to frustration and outright anger from the Tennessee dugout, but for those watching the game, it created some understandable confusion. What, exactly, is Appendix G?

Here’s a closer look at Appendix G and how it factored into the umpiring crew’s decision in Sunday’s WCWS game between UCLA and Tennessee softball:

What is Appendix G?

Tucked away in the 185-page 2025 NCAA Softball Rule Book is Appendix G, which legislates video review in the sport.

The appendix, which covers two pages in the rule book, details what plays are subject to video review and criteria for using video review.

Appendix G outlines 12 different plays and scenarios that can be reviewed. While there is a section for flagrant and malicious contact, that doesn’t appear to include actions like Ramirez nudging her teammate to ensure she touches home plate.

Here’s a list of the plays subject to video review, according to the NCAA rule book:

1. Regarding batted balls (any ball higher than the top of the foul pole when it leaves the field cannot have that aspect reviewed):
a. Deciding if a batted ball called fair is fair or foul.
b. Deciding if a batted ball called foul should be a ground-rule double, home run, or hit-by-pitch.
c. Deciding if a batted ball is or is not a home run.
2. Regarding pitched balls at the plate:
a. Deciding if a pitch ruled a dropped third strike was caught before the ball touched the ground.
b. Deciding whether a live or dead ball should be changed to a foul ball.
c. Deciding whether a foul ball should be changed to a foul tip only with no base runners, or if it would result in a third out.
d. Deciding whether a batter is entitled to an award of first base per Hit Batter (by Pitch) – whether the ball hit the batter, whether the ball was entirely in the batter’s box, whether the batter made an attempt to get out of the way of the pitch when required, and/or whether the batter intentionally tried to get hit by the pitch (see Rule 11.13).
3. Spectator interference.
4. Obstruction and interference (including collisions).
5. Deciding if malicious/flagrant contact occurred. Umpires may initiate this review without requiring a coach’s challenge at any point in the game to ensure student-athlete safety.
6. Timing plays (deciding whether a third out is made before the lead base runner touches home plate).
7. Force/Tag Play Calls: Plays involving all runners acquiring the base before the defensive player’s attempt to put the runner out at any base.
8. Blocked or dead ball/Placement of Runners: Deciding whether a ball not ruled blocked should be ruled blocked, and the proper placement of runners (per the rules/case book) after any blocked or dead ball call.
9. A catch or no catch in any situation.
10. Runners leaving the base prior to the touch on a fly ball (tagging up), runners missing a base and runners leaving early on a pitch.

Note: The crew chief may not initiate a review of runners leaving early on a pitch. This review is only allowed by a coach’s challenge.

11. Any of the listed reviewable items if the action on the field results in a dead ball.

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The California Interscholastic Federation crowned two champions in a pair of events at Saturday’s state high school track and field meet when transgender athlete AB Hernandez placed first in the high jump and triple jump – and finished second in the long jump.

Hernandez shared the podium with her cisgender competitors following a rule change enacted last week that allowed athletes assigned female at birth to receive medals based on where they would have finished if a transgender athlete had not competed.

The awards ceremonies after the events did not produce any protests or disruptions – according to New York Times reporting from the meet in Clovis, California – as some had feared if Hernandez won a state title.

Hernandez and Brooke White of River City High School celebrated on the podium after the long jump as they ‘put their arms around each other, held their medals out from their chests and smiled for photos.’

Despite isolated protests outside and inside the stadium, cheers largely drowned them out, the Times reported.

Hernandez also was part of a three-way tie for first in the high jump after all three competitors cleared the same height.

The rule change was made after President Donald Trump demanded that Hernandez – a 16-year-old junior at Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County – not be allowed to compete in girls track and field events at the state meet. Trump threatened to withhold federal funds to the state if it did not comply with an executive order he signed Feb. 5 seeking to bar transgender student athletes from playing women’s sports.

State athletics officials drafted the new rule to allow additional female athletes to take part in events in which a transgender athlete was competing.

‘The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law and Education Code,’ the federation said in a statement.