Shohei Ohtani was hit in the thigh by a comebacker during the Dodgers’ loss to the Rockies.
Ohtani left the game as a pitcher after four innings and was later removed for a pinch-hitter due to the injury.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects Ohtani to return to the lineup on Friday against the Padres.

Shohei Ohtani was hit in the thigh by a comebacker and eventually removed from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ loss to the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, but the National League MVP favorite expects to be back in the lineup for his team’s next game.

In the fourth inning at Coors Field, a line drive hit by Orlando Arcia struck Ohtani above the right knee. Manager Dave Roberts and the training staff came out to check on him, but Ohtani remained in the game and finished the inning.

Ohtani took his at-bat in the fifth but his night on the mound came to an end, getting roughed up for nine hits and five earned runs in four innings. Roberts removed Ohtani for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and said after the game he was worried about his star’s thigh tightening up.

‘It was getting stiff and there was some swelling in there,’ Roberts said. ‘It was in the thigh, fortunately, and not off the knee. But it got him square. … I felt as the game was going to go on, it was going to stiffen up more.’

Is Shohei Ohtani playing today?

Roberts said before Wednesday’s game – and the injury – that he was planning on resting Ohtani on Thursday, a day game after a night game in which he pitched. Ohtani was indeed left out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup for the series finale at Coors Field on Thursday.

Detailing after the game that Ohtani had a thigh contusion, Roberts said he’s ‘hopeful’ that Ohtani will be back in the lineup Friday for the first game of a huge series against the Padres in San Diego.

‘That’s my intention,’ Ohtani said through his interpreter, ‘is to make sure I get my treatment, and the goal is to make sure that I’m back to normal again. … I got hit in the same spot, hit by a pitch (earlier this season). Right now, it feels pretty good. I’m going to do everything in my ability to make sure that it doesn’t affect me moving forward.’

The Dodgers lead the Padres by just one game in the NL West, and the three-game set at Petco Park beginning Friday is the final time the teams will meet in the regular season.

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MANCHESTER, England — U.S. rugby player Ilona Maher said she is contemplating an offer to participate in WWE wrestling as a stepping stone to Hollywood after the Women’s Rugby World Cup that kicks off on Friday in England.

‘I’ve been approached before by the WWE,’ she told the BBC, joking that her ring name would be ‘Maher-vellous’. ‘I should think about it, there is great money in it.’

Maher is the world’s most followed rugby player with nearly nine million followers across Instagram and TikTok. She was also a contestant on ‘Dancing with the Stars’, posed for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue and was named best breakthrough athlete at this year’s ESPYS, ESPN’s annual award show.

‘I would love to get into the acting space and the scripted space. I think a Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson, John Cena progression – I would love to do that,’ Maher said.

‘It would be exciting to see my body type on the screen. I’ll start off small – probably like a hot assassin or something, let’s not get too crazy. I’m not going to be in a rom-com just yet.

‘We’ll see. The world is open, but I do see myself coming back to rugby.’

The United States play favorite England to open the World Cup on Friday at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

NASCAR lost a legend on Wednesday as former president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway, Howard Augustine ‘Humpy’ Wheeler Jr., died of natural causes, Charlotte Motor Speedway announced. He was 86 years old.

Wheeler was a prominent figure in the rise of NASCAR. He was a master at marketing races and played a pivotal role in making Charlotte Motor Speedway the track that it is today.

Wheeler was a pioneer in the sport. Whether it was bringing Janet Guthrie to the 1976 World 600, becoming the first woman to qualify for a race at a NASCAR superspeedway or delivering NASCAR’s first night race in 1993, Wheeler was constantly breaking new ground in stock car racing.

Wheeler’s exuberant personality made him a natural fit for the NASCAR scene. He was also never afraid to get his own hands dirty. In 2007, Wheeler donned an apron and hat in order to pitch hot dogs and popcorn to fans alongside Joey Chestnut. His larger than life demeanor and humility made him one of the most beloved figures in racing.

Is Humpy Wheeler in the Hall of Fame?

Not yet.

Wheeler will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as a recipient of the Landmark Award in the Class of 2026.

In a statement regarding this distinction, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France referred to Wheeler as a ‘visionary whose name became synonymous with promotion and innovation in our sport.’ France continued, ‘Humpy transformed the fan experience through his creativity, bold ideas and tireless passion. His efforts helped expand NASCAR’s national footprint, cement Charlotte as a must-visit racing and entertainment complex and recently earned him the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s prestigious Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.’

The Day 9 action of the 2025 Little League World Series will start with an international matchup that will end one team’s LLWS dreams while allowing the other to continue their quest for the championship title.

After a hard-fought battle, Venezuela was unable to overcome Chinese Taipei, losing 7-3. This defeat has set the stage for a high-stakes game for the Latin American team, as they now face a must-win situation against Aruba. Aruba secured their spot in the next round after a quick turnaround, having played the night before and successfully overcoming another elimination game by defeating Japan, 3-0.

Stay tuned for all the action from a must-watch international matchup between Venezuela and Aruba, a game that will determine the fate of both teams in the 2025 Little League World Series.

What time is the 2025 Little League World Series today?

Thursday, Aug. 21

All times Eastern

International Bracket

Game 33: Aruba v. Venezuela: 3 p.m. @ Lamade Stadium

United States bracket

Game 33: Las Vegas v. South Dakota/South Carolina: 3 p.m. @ Lamade Stadium

Six teams still in the hunt for the LLWS title, here are the teams left

Chinese Taipei has clinched a spot in Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. ET international championship game on ABC. Their opponent? Well, that will be settled today as Venezuela and Aruba play an elimination game for the other spot in the international championship game.

Connecticut has secured a spot in Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. ET U.S. championship game on ABC. Who will Connecticut play? That answer comes tonight as Nevada and South Carolina have an elimination game showdown for the other spot.

As Day 9 of the Little League World Series gets underway, here’s a look at the modified double-elimination bracket.

How to watch 2025 Little League World Series

The 2025 Little League World Series will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, with the championship game airing on ABC. Games will also be available to stream on ESPN+.

Date: Thursday, Aug. 21
Times: International game, 3 p.m. ET; U.S. game, 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo
Location: South Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Stream the Little League World Series on Fubo

Historically, the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry is one of the fiercest, nastiest, and most important in Major League Baseball history.

For well over a century, the AL foes, geographically separated by about 200 miles, have battled – both on and off the field – providing memories forever etched in the game’s lore.

The list of highlights is long and includes Babe Ruth being sold by Sox owner Harry Frazee to the Yankees in 1919; thus, beginning the Curse of the Bambino.

There was Bucky Dent connecting on a Mike Torrez hanging breaking ball for a home run; a blast which gave New York the 1978 pennant. And, New York’s Aaron Boone hitting a walk-off series-winning homer against Boston’s Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS.

While the Yankees have won about 55% of their over 2,317 regular-season matchups, the Red Sox have also enjoyed monumental victories over the Yankees.

After trailing the 2004 ALCS 3-0, Boston reeled off four straight wins to send the Yankees packing. With the victory, Boston advanced to the World Series, where they would capture their first title in 86 years.

The rivalry has seen its share of fights including a 2004 dustup which pitted New York’s Alex Rodriguez against Red Sox backstop Jason Varitek, and of course who could forget Sox star pitcher Pedro Martinez shoving 72-year-old Yankees coach Don Zimmer to the ground one year earlier?

But while these teams have engaged in fisticuffs, notable games, and perhaps the most lopsided trade in sports history, it can also be said that the rivalry has been on hiatus for some time.

“I mean it was like hatred,” said Brian Doyle, a reserve infielder, who hit a team leading .438 for the Yanks in the 1978 World Series. “It’s just not the same as it was back then.”

Dent concurred with Doyle telling USA TODAY Sports, “I don’t think it is quite as intense because back in the 70’s you didn’t change teams very often. It was always (Thurman) Munson, (Carlton) Fisk, (Graig) Nettles, Bill Lee.”

While the rivalry has featured some of baseball’s juiciest storylines, it’s also cyclical.

“Early in my career, when the Red Sox didn’t have much of a good team, when I first came up in the late ‘60s, the rivalry was not as intense,” said Roy White, who spent his entire 15-year career with the Yankees. “Once they came up into prominence and we got into prominence also, in the late 70s – those were series to be remembered.”

That era featured historical matchups and more than a few memorable dust-ups including a 1976 bench-clearing brawl which began when New York’s Lou Piniella collided with Boston catcher Carlton Fisk.

The most impactful result of the fight was a separated left shoulder for Lee, which forced “The Spaceman” to miss 51 games that year.

The rivalry remained strong until Boston broke the supposed Ruth curse.

“Once they started winning the World Series, it kind of calmed down,” said Tino Martinez, who was a key member of the 1999 Yankees, which defeated the Red Sox in the ALCS before winning the World Series. “You play them so many times now, it takes away a little of the rivalry.”

Still, whether or not the players on this year’s Boston and New York squads maintain animosity for each other based solely on the names on the front of the opponents’ jerseys, both sides know their upcoming series, which begins Thursday in the Bronx, is pivotal, and fans just may once again be treated to fireworks in this latest battle between baseballs Hatfields and McCoys.

The stakes are high with both teams clinging to AL wild card spots and only six weeks left in the season.

But while both teams have their eyes squarely on the games ultimate prize, a championship, they know their fortunes would gain a huge boost with a successful series against their most hated rival.

“Not saying we don’t want to beat everybody, but the Red Sox are the number one team you want to beat,” said Mickey Rivers, the speedy leadoff batter who patrolled center field for the champion 1977 and ’78 Yankees.

“It’s always going to be a rivalry. It’s always Boston – New York,” said Dent.

The 2025 U.S. Open main draw starts Aug. 25 and concludes Sept. 7.
Top seeds are defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka.
The tournament will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and streamed on the ESPN app.

The final Grand Slam event of the tennis season – the U.S. Open – is already underway with qualifying matches in progress. But the real action doesn’t start for another couple of days.

The official unveiling of the men’s and women’s singles brackets provides the first glimpse of how the fabled tournament might unfold over the next two weeks.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is back to defend the 2024 men’s title he won over American Taylor Fritz. Meanwhile, top-ranked woman Aryna Sabalenka is set to defend after defeating Jessica Pegula a year ago.

One interesting note in this year’s women’s draw: Two-time champion Venus Williams received a wild-card entry and will compete at age 45. Her first-round match will be a challenge as she faces 11th-seeded Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.

U.S. Open officials announced the seeds and pairings for the tournament on Thursday, Aug. 21.

Who are the top seeds at the 2025 US Open?

Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka will be the No. 1 seeds in this year’s U.S. Open men’s and women’s singles competition.

Men’s singled draw
Women’s singles draw

Sabalenka will begin her quest to repeat with an opening round match against Switzerland’s Rebeka Masarova, who’s ranked No. 109 in the world.

Sinner plays his first match against 87th-ranked Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic.

Women’s top seeds

Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Swiatek (Poland)
Coco Gauff (USA)
Jessica Peguls (USA)
Mirra Andreeva
Madison Keys (USA)
Jasmine Paolini (Italy)
Amanda Anisimova (USA)
Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan)
Emma Navarro (USA)

Men’s top seeds

Jannik Sinner (Italy)
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
Alexander Zverev (Germany)
Taylor Fritz (USA)
Jack Draper (United Kingdom)
Ben Shelton (USA)
Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Alex de Minaur (Australia)
Karen Khachnov
Lorenzo Musetti (Italy)

When does the 2025 US Open start?

The main draw of the 2025 U.S. Open begins Monday, Aug. 25, and will continue over the next two weeks, with the men’s singles final closing out the event on Sunday, Sept. 7.

How can I watch the 2025 US Open?

The 2025 U.S. Open will be broadcast on various channels, including ABC and ESPN, with streaming coverage available on the ESPN app.

Where will the 2025 US Open take place?

The U.S. Open will be played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows in Queens, New York.

What is the schedule for the 2025 US Open?

Men’s and women’s singles competition: Monday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 7
Doubles and mixed doubles competition: Began Monday, Aug. 18 and runs through Saturday, Sept. 6
Women’s doubles final: Friday, Sept. 5
Men’s doubles final: Saturday, Sept. 6
Women’s singles final: Saturday, Sept. 6
Men’s singles final: Sunday, Sept. 7

What is the purse for the 2025 US Open?

Men’s and women’s singles

Winner: $5,000,000
Finalist: $2,500,000
Semifinalists: $1,260,000
Quarterfinalists: $660,000

Doubles

Winner: $1,000,000
Finalist: $500,000
Semifinalists: $250,000
Quarterfinalists: $125,000

Who were the men’s and women’s singles winners at the 2024 US Open?

At the 2024 U.S. Open, Jannik Sinner held off Taylor Fritz, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, to win his first U.S. Open Championship.

In the women’s singles final, Aryna Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula, 7-5, 7-5. Sabalenka reached the finals in 2023 but lost to Coco Gauff.

Fashion designer Kristin Juszczyk first noticed the limited options in women’s sports apparel back in 2020 when she was looking for something to wear to cheer on her All-Pro fullback husband Kyle Juszczyk and the San Francisco 49ers.

When she couldn’t find a game-day look that successfully merged fashion and fandom, Juszczyk took matters into her own hands and taught herself how to sew by watching YouTube. Little did Juszczyk know her upcycled creations, like the viralTravis Kelce-themed puffer jacket handmade for Taylor Swift, would redefine sports merchandise and shine a light on a massive “gap in the industry.”

Juszczyk launched the sports apparel company Off Season alongside business partner Emma Grede in January, offering elevated merchandise that could become a staple on game day and beyond. After dropping an NFL ready-to-wear collection last month, it was only a matter of time before Juszczyk and Grede set their sights on the WNBA and women’s sports.

“We’re so excited to branch out to the WNBA, because women’s sports is just the ultimate movement,” Juszczyk told USA TODAY Sports. “Knowing how much my husband puts into his work every single day, I know how much these girls live, breathe and eat the sport. And to see the whole world give them the recognition that they deserve has just been so amazing … For us to have a little blip in the WNBA story is just such an honor.”

Off Season’s expansion into the WNBA has been a “natural evolution” for the brand, according to Juszczyk, who’s the “biggest fan” of the league’s culture and community. She has her good friend Claire Kittle, who played basketball at the University of Iowa, to thank for that. Kittle, 49ers tight end George Kittle’s wife, introduced Juszczyk to Hawkeye basketball. She became a Caitlin Clark and the rest, as they say, is history. 

“It was the natural progression of … seeing Caitlin go from NCAA to WNBA and seeing how much the league as a whole has just skyrocketed has been so fun to watch,” Juszczyk said. “We knew that we wanted to bring (Off Season) to more female customers.”

USA TODAY Sports caught up with Juszczyk and Grede on their WNBA Collection, the inspiration behind their favorite pieces and how the trailblazing partnership came to be: 

Introducing the WNBA Collection

Off Season’s WNBA Collection will launch with apparel for four teams — the Golden State Valkyries, Indiana Fever, Las Vegas Aces and defending champion New York Liberty — in addition to league merch. Juszczyk and Grede said they have plans to create merchandise for all 13 WNBA teams, but want to start by “taking baby steps” as they continue to scale their startup business. “We’ve just scratched the surface,” said Grede, the CEO and co-founder of Good American and founding partner of Skims.

The line will feature Juszczyk’s signature style of graphic prints, layered fabrics, distinct embroidery and different textures, plus an added sporty flair.

“What’s so important for us is to have a standard to Off Season too, that no matter what league we’re at, people know right away that’s an Off Season piece,” Juszczyk said. “We also wanted to bring the sporty element into it, like the oversized sleeves, the button up, the collars, the cargo shorts … while also having the authenticity of Off Season.”

When asked who Juszczyk would like to see in Off Season’s WNBA Collection, she responded without hesitation: ‘I would love to dress (Dallas Wings guard) Paige (Bueckers). She’s just amazing. She’s so fun to watch … She also has amazing style. I love seeing what she comes out for game days.”

WNBA hoodie inspired bye Kobe Bryant

Juszczyk said her favorite piece in the collection is a WNBA logo hoodie inspired by late Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, who was an advocate for women’s sports as the father of four daughters. 

‘There was such an iconic moment where Kobe (Bryant) wore that orange WNBA sweatshirt,’ Juszczyk said, referring to Bryant and his daughter Gianna attending a Lakers game in late December 2019, the duo’s last public appearance before their death in January 2020. ‘We took that as a reference.”

The unisex WNBA logo hoodie showcases the silhouette surrounded with a spray painted, graffiti border on the back. “We really had a lot of fun with the WNBA graphic to give it a little twist, but at the same time keep the authenticity of the WNBA logo,” she said. The front of the sweater features an additional WNBA logo in orange.

Off Season started with a DM

The partnership between Juszczyk and Grede started like many relationships do in this day and age — social media. Juszczyk slid into Grede’s Instagram messages because “I had these designs in front of me, but I’ve never built a business before in my life.” 

Grede has built her career on anticipating consumer needs and was instantly sold on the idea of forging a new lane in sports apparel.

“There is so much merch out there, but there’s nothing that I want to wear,” Grede told USA TODAY Sports. “We’re designing for ourselves, we’re designing for our friends, for our community of followers. And I think there is just such a need for fashion forward stuff in this space. … I think that everybody just wants to represent their teams and to look good and to feel good. And what we’re doing feels so fresh.”

Juszczyk will no longer make every piece by scratch — ‘which my fingers are very happy for,’ she joked — but she said the quality won’t be compromised. ‘My goal for Off Season is that it will be that vintage piece in your closet,’ Juszczyk said.

Kristin Juszczyk’s game-day videos will continue

Juszczyk may have her hands full running her brand, but her signature game-day videos aren’t going anywhere. Juszczyk said she’ll “definitely” continue sharing her looks across her social media channels, where she boasts nearly 1.5 million followers. Grede added Juszczyk’s posts are “imperative for our brand.’

“It’s almost like we get to test the market,” Juszczyk said. “We put stuff out there and whatever has the most engagement or people are like, ‘I want this.’ Great, we’ll add it to the 2026 (collection). So it’s been really fun to just play around. And also for me, I get to add all the extra details I want.”

When asked if we’ll see a game-day look at Super Bowl LX — which will be hosted at the 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium, where Kyle Juszczyk is set to begin his 13th season in the league — Juszczyk laughed and said, “Fingers crossed… that’s the wish.”

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The College Football Playoff committee announced changes to their selection metrics, emphasizing strength of schedule.
The new metrics aim to reward wins against strong opponents and penalize losses against weak opponents.

Relax, everyone. The good folks on the College Football Playoff selection committee are on it. 

New metrics, new ideas, new philosophy released Wednesday, Aug. 20, to choose who plays in the college football postseason. 

To this I say: what in the world were they doing all along?

“All of these modifications will help the selection committee as they rank the Top 25 teams,” says CFP executive director Rich Clark.

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Before we go further, with the ghost of John Heisman as my witness, I swear I’m not making this up. 

The CFP committee announced that in the current strength of schedule metric, more weight will be applied to games against strong opponents. Duh, you say. 

Wait, it gets better. 

A new additional metric of “record strength” will help the committee determine how teams performed against their schedule, rewarding those that beat high-quality opponents — while minimizing the penalty of losing to one. 

Yeah, no $%#@, Sherlock, you say.

We’re not done yet.  

The new changes will also – hold onto your striped overalls, Indiana fans – provide minimal reward for beating a lower-quality opponent while imposing a greater penalty for losing to one.

Now I’m gonna puke. 

Again I ask, what in the world has the selection committee been doing since the first playoff in 2014? These are no-brainer metrics, standards that should be engrained in the minds of every college football poll voter in the history of polls. 

From the US LBM Coaches poll, to the AP Poll, to the CFP rankings, the foundational aspect of any ranking system should be weighted heavily on strength of schedule. It doesn’t take quantum physics to understand 9-3 in the SEC is a heavier lift than 11-2 in the ACC.

There should be zero hesitation in negating an 11-win season when the schedule consists of two games against teams with winning records — and one win in those two games.

But here we are, an offseason removed from the CFP selection committee choosing Indiana and SMU over any number of more valuable and worthy teams. And now we know why. 

Because their records looked pretty. 

Those 11 wins sure look shiny, that’s for sure. Not just anyone can run through a schedule of the worst Florida State team in half a century, Stanford, Pittsburgh, Duke, Boston College, Virginia and California. 

To say nothing of a corresponding non-conference schedule of Nevada, Houston Christian, TCU and Brigham Young. Terrifying. Absolutely, terrifying.

Then SMU loses by 28 in the first round of the CFP. 

Not just anyone can beat the worst Michigan team since the halcyon days of Brady Hoke, roll a putrid conference schedule and top it off with a non-conference schedule of Florida International, Western Illinois and Charlotte. 

Then Indiana loses by 10 in the first round of the CFP after Notre Dame got bored and let off the gas.

I don’t know what’s more incredulous: that the CFP committee successfully shoveled Indiana and SMU at us, or that the committee now says they’ve got it figured out with some new and improved metrics they should’ve been weighing heavily all along.

The CFP committee says it has historically evaluated teams this way, and that making it a computerized metric helps simplify the process publicly.

To that, I say: no, you haven’t.

When you sell Indiana and SMU in 2024, you absolutely, positively, haven’t done it this way all along. 

When you drop unbeaten and No.1 Georgia out of the CFP on the last poll of the 2023 season – after a three-point loss in the SEC championship game to No.8 Alabama, and after winning four previous games against ranked teams by an average of 27.5 points – there’s zero chance this has been the unwritten rule all along.

But now they’ve got it figured out. These new metrics will eliminate coaches and athletic directors on the selection committee bending ears about how “tough” it us to win 11 games — no matter the schedule. 

Now they know the difference between pretty and powerful.

So help me, John Heisman.      

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

Penn State head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley was joined at the 2025 ESPYS by her five graduating seniors as she was honored with the Jimmy V Award for perseverance after she battled cancer during the 2024 season. The Nittany Lions ended up finishing the year hoisting their first NCAA national championship since 2014.

‘I was so happy that my entire family was there, the five (graduating) seniors and the coaching staff to just rehash stories of the Final Four and just the season,’ Schumacher-Cawley recalled to USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday, referring to graduates Jess Mruzik, Taylor Trammell, Camryn Hannah, Anjelina Starck and Quinn Menger. ‘When the season ended in December, all the seniors were done and kind of went their own way. So for us to get back together and to enjoy some time, it was so special and it was something that I’ll never forget.’

The 2024 season had a storybook ending. Penn State went 29-2 in the regular season, clinched a share of the Big Ten title for the first time since 2017 and defeated rival Nebraska twice in the same season for the first time in program history, all while navigating Schumacher-Cawley’s breast cancer diagnosis.

It’s now officially time to turn the page on their championship as Penn State prepares to open the 2025 season and start their title defense against Creighton on Saturday.

‘We’re done talking about last year’s team,’ Schumacher-Cawley said. ‘Every semester is a new team and a new season. We’ll take the lessons we’ve learned and move forward with this group and let them find their identity.’

Penn State will look a little different this year after losing five seniors, including Mruzik, the 2024 Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 NCAA tournament, who you simply ‘can’t replace,’ Schumacher-Cawley said. That may explain why the defending champion Nittany Lions are ranked No. 2 in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll behind Big Ten foe Nebraska.

But if you ask Penn State, they ‘don’t necessarily care.’

‘The rankings are for the fans and it gives everyone something to talk about,’ Schumacher-Cawley said. ‘We don’t really talk about the awards and we don’t talk about the preseason rankings. ‘With our players we just stress getting better every day in the gym. … Every week is a different challenge and it’s just how you attack it.’

New leaders emerge after seniors graduate

Schumacher-Cawley said the team will rely on returning players like senior libero Gillian Grimes and senior middle blocker Jordan Hopp to take on leadership in the locker room.

‘I try to empower every single player to be a leader in their own way, in their own voice,’ Schumacher-Cawley said. ‘It’s the players that were on the team last year that got a taste of what it took to win a Big Ten (title), be at a Final Four and win a championship.

‘They’ve taken the responsibility to help the new players and the younger ones on how we do things here and what’s helped us be successful.’

Grimes is one of three Nittany Lions named to the preseason All-Big Ten Team, in addition to sophomore setter Izzy Starck, the AVCA National Freshman of the Year last season, and junior outside hitter Kennedy Martin. 

‘I couldn’t be on that list without my teammates and without my coaches, so I’m really happy for that,’ Grimes said at the Big Ten media day last month, highlighting a team-first philosophy that pulses through Penn State.

The ring features two pink diamonds in honor of Schumacher-Cawley’s battle with breast cancer. She announced she was cancer-free in February.

Penn State reloads through transfer portal

Penn State landed All-American Kennedy Martin in the transfer portal, who Schumacher-Cawley said ‘just fits in’ with the team’s culture. Martin led the nation in points per set (6.28) and was second in kills per set (5.57) last season during her sophomore campaign at Florida.

‘(Kennedy) brings a high level of play, but she is so fun to be around and she is such a great teammate,’ Schumacher-Cawley said. ‘I’m excited to see her wear the blue and white and see her compete this weekend for us. And I think she just brings a level of confidence to the group and she’s going to help everyone be better.’

The Nittany Lions also added Saint Louis setter Addie Lyon and Ohio State outside hitter Emmi Sellman, who Schumacher-Cawley said ‘almost single handedly beat us last year when she was at Ohio State.’

‘There’s always been pressure for us’

Penn State women’s volleyball is used to having a bullseye on their back. The Nittany Lions have won eight national championships, the second-most of any school behind Stanford (9), including a historic four-peat from 2007 to 2010.

‘There’s always just been pressure for us,’ Starck said. ‘Coming into this season, it’s just the same mindset we always have of how we work hard with each other and how we push each other. I definitely think winning the national championship last year helps us, because we know what it takes and we know how to help the new players.’

The Nittany Lions have a tough schedule and will have to go through Nebraska twice (Oct. 3 and Nov. 28) during the regular season, in addition to facing at least 15 other teams that made it to the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The spotlight will be even brighter as Penn State will have 16 nationally televised matchups across FOX, BTN, and FS1, up from 12 nationally broadcast regular-season games last year.

‘You have to play great competition to prepare for the Big 10 Conference,’ Schumacher-Cawley said. ‘Being in these opening tournaments will set the tone and show us what we need to do and how we need to be better… the end goal is to be great in November and December.’

Penn State opens the season against Creighton on Saturday at the AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska. The matchup will be broadcast on FS1 Network at 5 p.m. ET.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are taking a major step toward bringing back wide receiver Chris Godwin, who has remained off of the field since Week 7 last year.

Tampa Bay will soon activate Godwin from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, allowing him to ‘begin his ramp-up process for games.’

The Bucs’ star wideout likely won’t return to game action until October, Schefter reported, but he is expected to start practicing during Week 2 of the regular season.

Godwin missed the final 11 weeks of the 2024 season after dislocating his ankle in the final minutes of a Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last year. He had been on pace for one of the best years of his career prior to the injury with a league-leading 50 catches to go with 576 receiving yards (second-most) and five touchdowns (third-most).

Godwin re-signed with the Buccaneers on a three-year, $66 million one day before he would have officially hit free agency.