Gold medals in men’s and women’s Olympic hockey!

That’s not just a headline — it’s a book.

USA TODAY Sports proudly announces its latest hardcover collector’s book: “RED, WHITE & GOLD.” It tells the epic story of how American men and women swept the hockey gold medals at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics and stamped the United States as the hockey world’s new superpower.

By our double-gold hockey book!

By identical 2-1 scores, in overtime, against Canada, in dramatic fashion, in games for the ages, the United States joined its neighbors to the north as the only countries to win the men’s gold and women’s gold in the same Olympics.

What a way to kick off a year in which Americans celebrate their 250th birthday. In 1776, we declared our independence from Great Britian. In 2026, we declared our hockey dominance over Canada.

On Feb. 19, captain Hilary Knight, in her fifth Olympics at age 36, forced overtime with 2:04 left in the third period. Years earlier she had inspired golden dreams for a 22-year-old teammate, Laila Edwards, who became the first Black Olympian for Team USA and assisted on Knight’s game-tying goal.

Then defender Megan Keller’s slick moves beat Canada after 4:07 of overtime. It gave the United States its second gold medal in the last eight years and third in the sport’s 28-year Olympic history.

On Feb. 22, Jack Hughes suffered severe dental issues from a third-period high stick courtesy of Canada’s Sam Bennett. But he didn’t need two intact front teeth to take a sweet pass from Zach Werenski and fire the puck under Jordan Binnington’s pads for the golden goal after 1:41 of overtime.

It gave the United States its first gold medal since the “Miracle on Ice” Olympics at Lake Placid in 1980 and its third overall (to go with eight silver medals).

“RED, WHITE & GOLD: How American Men and Women Became the Kings and Queens of Olympic Hockey” will be a 160-page coffee-table book. And each gold-medal team will have its own cover. ‘RED, WHITE & GOLD” retails for $39.95, plus shipping and tax. If ordered now, there’s a 10% discount. So, get it for only $35.95. Order at USA.ChampsBook.com.

This hardcover book will make a great gift for the hockey fan in your life. Maybe it will inspire someone the way Knight inspired Edwards.

And because Moms, Dads and Grads season will be upon us soon, why not check something off the to-do list early, eh?

Buy our double-gold hockey book!

More Team USA collectibles

Now that your coffee table and bookcase have been properly adorned, don’t forget about your walls. To also celebrate U.S. golden glory on Italian ice, USA TODAY Sports has crafted three commemorative page prints. Last week, we crafted two celebrating the women’s gold medal. This week, we added a page print celebrating the men’s gold medal.

All three page prints come on high-quality art paper, in a variety of sizes and start at $29 (plus shipping and handling) through the USA TODAY Store. For more details, go to usatodaystore.com and search “Olympic.”

The men’s page print features AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL as its giant headline with photos of the team going crazy and Hughes draped in an American flag and smiling despite desperately in need of a dentist.

Buy men’s gold-medal page print!

The first women’s page print features Team USA celebrating on the ice after Keller’s golden goal. It has U-S-SLAY! as its big headline.

Buy women’s gold-medal page print!

The second women’s page print commemorates Knight’s fifth and (she says) final Olympics. It has CAPTAIN AMERICA as its big headline. She set American career record for Olympic goals and points.

Buy Hilary Knight record page print!

What an Olympics it was for Team USA. The hockey teams each won gold for the third time (men in 1960, 1980, 2026; women in 1998, 2018, 2026). Each team beat its archrival in a thriller for the ages. Each team had an overtime hero who wouldn’t be denied.

These page prints also will make great gifts for the hockey fans in your life.

Buy our double-gold hockey book! Buy men’s gold-medal page print! Buy women’s gold-medal page print! Buy Hilary Knight record page print!

Contact Gene Myers at gmyers@usatodayco.com. Check out books and page prints from theUSA TODAY Network — including books on the Florida Panthers’ latest Stanley Cup, the Indiana Hoosiers’ football championship, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ latest World Series title and tributes to Dale Earnhardt, Lee Corso and Bob Uecker. Also available are Coach Steve’s youth sports survival guide and a book marking 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry.

This story was updated to include more books available through the USA TODAY Network.

Former NBA player Patrick Beverley will not face charges following an arrest on Nov. 14 in Fort Bend County, Texas.

Rusty Hardin and Letitia Quinones-Hollins, attorneys for Patrick Beverley, released a statement Monday, Feb. 23: ‘Several months ago, we said that when all the information was in – when a grand jury could hear all the facts of this case – Patrick Beverley would be cleared of all charges. That is what happened today, when a grand jury sitting in Fort Bend County no-billed Patrick, effectively ending the case.

‘Patrick wants everyone to know that he would never do anything to harm his sister and that he is very grateful that the grand jury has recognized that with their no-bill. He is thankful for all who prayed for him and supported him during this time. He is glad that the process was allowed to work as it did and his hope is that with these charges behind him now, his name and reputation will be restored.’

Beverley had been accused of assaulting his teenage sister and faced a third-degree felony assault charge for the alleged incident. The arrest circumstances were detailed in a probable cause affidavit obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

According to that affidavit, deputies were dispatched to the home of Beverley’s mother, Lisa, in Rosharon, Texas, a Houston suburb, in the early morning hours of Nov. 14. The mother had called Beverley to confront his teenage sister and her 18-year-old boyfriend, both of whom were in the residence. Upon arriving at the home, Beverley then confronted his sister, who is 15 years old.

The affidavit stated that the sister had snuck out to meet her boyfriend, identified as being 18 years old.

The USA pitching staff at the 2026 World Baseball Classic will have an extremely different look from the 2023 iteration. After throwing Merrill Kelly, Lance Lynn, and Adam Wainwright in 2023, the upcoming World Baseball Classic will have a loaded rotation with the likes of Paul Skenes, Garrett Whitlock, and Tarik Skubal, among others.

However, at least one of those pitchers is going to be extremely limited. Skubal, who is about to enter a contract year with the Detroit Tigers and is represented by Scott Boras, told reporters on Feb. 23 he will only throw a start in pools and be shut down after, possibly returning to watch the finals is the USA makes it — but even then only as a ‘fan.’

‘I’m trying to do both things, trying to pitch for Team USA but I understand the need to be here with these guys and get ready for the season,’ Skubal said, per The Athletic. ‘I think it’s kind of the best of both worlds in that aspect, and I’m grateful they took me in that capacity.’

Of a potential finals run, Skubal said: ‘If they go to the finals, I think I’m going to try and lobby to just go watch and be with the guys.’

The finals will be held in Miami, about a four-and-a-half hour drive from Lakeland, where the Tigers hold their spring training.

Where losing a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber shortens any rotation, the United States has a bevy of options to choose from behind him.

USA 2026 World Baseball Classic pitchers

Here’s a look at the pitching staff for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Starting pitchers

RHP Paul Skenes – Pittsburgh Pirates
LHP Tarik Skubal – Detroit Tigers
LHP Matthew Boyd – Chicago Cubs
RHP Clay Holmes – New York Mets
RHP Nolan McLean – New York Mets
RHP Joe Ryan – Minnesota Twins
RHP Michael Wacha – Kansas City Royals
RHP Logan Webb – San Francisco Giants
LHP Clayton Kershaw – Retired

Bullpen

RHP David Bednar – New York Yankees
LHP Garrett Cleavinger – Tampa Bay Rays
RHP Garrett Whitlock – Boston Red Sox
RHP Griffin Jax – Minnesota Twins
RHP Brad Keller – Philadelphia Phillies
RHP Mason Miller – San Diego Padres
LHP Gabe Speier – Seattle Mariners

Obviously rotation won’t be an issue for the USA. But with Kershaw occupying a roster spot and now Skubal freeing one after he leaves, it’s still a blow for what is expected to be the best rotation top to bottom in the WBC.

Tarik Skubal contract

Skubal is entering the final season of team control this year, which is undoubtedly influencing his decision to limit himself in the WBC.

He is playing on a one-year, $32 million deal he won in arbitration after the Tigers filed for a $19 million. The back-to-back AL Cy Young winner is expected to command a record-breaking contract as a free agent in the coming offseason. His $32 million number is already encroaching upon Gerrit Cole’s $36 million AAV from the Yankees.

‘Cy-squared is exponentially valued – a critical and crushing distinction that separates Skubal from one-time Cy Young winners. How rare is Skubal’s back-to-back Cy performance? It’s over the moon. Only 12 in MLB history – the same number of men who have walked on the moon.’

Perhaps Father Time has not caught up to these two boxing legends yet.

It was recently announced that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will return to the ring more than a decade after their first fight. Despite both boxers approaching 50 years old, it seems the two are still in good enough shape to throw haymakers.

Manny Pacquiao’s last professional fight was less than a year ago, a draw against Mario Barrios in July. Mayweather though, hasn’t fought in a professionally-sanctioned bout since 2022 when he defeated YouTuber Deji by KO.

Though Mayweather got the better of Pacquiao last time around, perhaps Pacman is more prepared this time around. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming fight.

When is Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight?

The match will take place on Sept. 19, 2026. It will air exclusively on Netflix.

Who won Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao last fight?

Mayweather won, maintaining his undefeated record by unanimous decision — 118-110, 116-112, 116-112.

Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao odds

Official odds for the rematch have not been released, but the last time the two fought in 2015, Floyd was a -200 favorite with Pacquiao a +170 underdog.

Why is Mayweather vs. Pacquiao at Las Vegas Sphere?

The Las Vegas Sphere is Sin City’s latest venue, providing state of the art technical capabilities. The venue itself is a spectacle, which will only add to the intrigue of the fight.

Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao tickets

Ticket availability has yet to be announced. Netflix has stated that ‘full details’ will be revealed ‘in the coming weeks.’

Is Floyd Mayweather vs. Mike Tyson still happening?

Yes. Mayweather and Tyson are set to square off in an exhibition match. Some reports have indicated that the match will take place on April 25 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, though neither the date nor location has been officially confirmed. Furthermore, there has been no word about any network airing the fight.

How old is Floyd Mayweather?

Floyd Mayweather is 48 years old, but turns 49 on Feb. 24.

How old is Manny Pacquiao?

Manny Pacquiao is 47 years old. He will turn 48 on Dec, 17 this year.

Kevin Durant, 37, is feeling the Olympics call to him yet again. After the United States won gold in both men and women’s hockey in Milano Cortina, the former NBA MVP and the United States’ all-time leading Olympic scorer debunked the theory that 2024 was the last Olympic ride for many of the games biggest stars.

‘You guys, the media, have projected that,’ Durant told ESPN. ‘That narrative, where did the last dance thing come from? I didn’t say I wasn’t playing. LeBron said he wasn’t. You didn’t hear that from me or Steph.’

Curry is unlikely to participate in 2028 and James has already said that he will not play. Durant added that he wants to play, but only if he is still at the ‘top of [his] game.’

He said, ‘I want to produce on the floor and make Grant and whoever is making the decisions, want to put me on the team.’ He continued, ‘I want to still prove I can help the team win.’

Durant’s Olympic resumé

As mentioned earlier, Durant is the United States’ all-time leading scorer at the Olympics. He began his Olympic career in 2012, playing in London.

Durant averaged 19.5 points per game in the London Olympics, all while hitting more than 48.5% of his three-point attempts. Durant has averaged at least 19.8 points per game in every Olympics since with his worst mark coming in 2024, when he averaged just 13.8 points per game in Paris.

The U.S. has won gold at every Olympics Durant has participated in.

When and where will the 2028 Olympics be?

The 2028 Olympics will take place in Los Angeles, California. The basketball games, specifically, will be played at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

The first basketball game of the event will take place two days prior to the Opening Ceremonies on Wednesday, July 12, 2028, with the gold medal game not yet set but likely on Sunday, July 30, 2028. Durant will be 39 years old.

The gold medal-winning United States women’s hockey team has declined an offer by the White House to attend Tuesday’s State of the Union address, citing ‘timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments’ as the reason.

The women’s team beat Canada for the gold medal in a come-from-behind 2-1 overtime victory in which Hilary Knight broke U.S. Olympic scoring records and Megan Keller scored the winning goal.

The USA men’s team made it 2-for-2 when it beat Canada for a gold medal on Sunday.

President Donald Trump called the men’s team afterward and invited those players to the State of the Union and a White House visit, offering to transport them on a military plane.

He also said on the call, ‘I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?’

The president added, jokingly, ‘I do believe I probably would be impeached’ if he didn’t invite the women’s team.

A USA Hockey spokesperson said the women’s team did receive an invitation but wouldn’t be able to attend.

‘We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,’ the spokesperson said. ‘Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.’

The Professional Women’s Hockey League has games on Thursday and the college hockey players on the USA team have games on Friday. The NHL season resumes on Wednesday.

This story was updated to add new information.

Kara Braxton, a former WNBA All-Star who played 10 years in the league, died in a car accident in Cobb County, Georgia, on Saturday.

Cobb County Police confirmed in a statement obtained by USA Today Sports that Braxton died in a single car crash outside of Atlanta around 5:13 p.m. Saturday. The accident remains under investigation.

A preliminary report says Braxton was driving a blue 2023 Ford Mustang Mach E northbound on I-285 and was approaching Cobb Parkway when she “failed to maintain her lane” and “collided with the concrete median wall,” riding against it until the car came to a rest on the left shoulder.

Braxton, 43, was transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia, where she was pronounced dead. She was a resident of College Park, Georgia.

The WNBA announced Braxton had died on social media on Sunday, Feb. 22.

‘It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton. A 10-season veteran, Kara played with the Detroit Shock, Tulsa Shock, Phoenix Mercury, and New York Liberty. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time,’ the WNBA shared on X.

Braxton was drafted No. 7 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Detroit Shock. She was named to the WNBA All-Rookie team after averaging 6.9 points and 3.0 rebounds. A 6-foot-6 power forward, she would go on to win championships in 2006 and ’08 with Detroit.

She played in Tulsa, when the Shock relocated, and also spent time with the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty. Braxton also played overseas in Poland, Turkey, China and Italy through the 2017-18 season.

Braxton is survived by her husband, Jarvis Jackson, and her two sons, Jelani Thurman and Jream Jackson.

The United States finished the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina on a high note with golden performances from figure skater Alysa Liu and a dramatic men’s hockey win over Canada in overtime for their first gold medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. Team USA wrapped up the Winter Games with 33 total medals, second behind only Norway; their 12 gold medals were also the second-most in the competition.

Milano Cortina is officially in the rearview; attention now turns to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Excitement has been building for the first Summer Games hosted by the US in 30 years and first in LA since 1984 — over 1.5 million people reportedly registered for tickets within 24 hours on Jan. 14 — and despite the recent controversy surrounding Olympics chair Casey Wasserman’s alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein, that hasn’t deterred fans.

LA28 announced in a press release Monday afternoon that over five million people have registered for the ticket draw — ‘a record-setting surge’ — with just under a month to go before it closes.

‘As a historic Winter Games concludes, we celebrate the incredible athletes and achievements of so many,’ LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in the statement. ‘We are grateful for the millions of people who have expressed interest in joining us in LA in 2028 where more of these stories and dreams will come to life.’

So how can you score 2028 Olympics tickets in Los Angeles? Here’s everything you need to know:

How do I register for the 2028 Olympic ticket draw?

Fans can enter the ticket draw on the LA28 website. The registration period is open through March 18. Registered fans from select counties in Southern California and Oklahoma are eligible for the locals presale ahead of the first ticket drop.

How to buy tickets to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

The only way to buy tickets is by entering the ticket draw. Fans who are selected will receive an email between March 31 and April 7 notifying them of a time slot for either the presale or any of the designated ticket drops.

Ticket availability and pricing will vary by sport, session and venue, according to LA28.

Keep in mind that registering for tickets doesn’t necessarily guarantee a selection in the draw. As mentioned above, LA28 announced Monday that over five million people have entered the draw and are seeing an average of 100,000 new registrations per day. Fans from all 50 states have registered, so have people across 194 countries and six continents, per the press release.

How the ticket draw works: a timeline

After the ticket draw closes on March 18, registered fans will receive an email between March 31 and April 7 notifying them whether they received a timeslot for either the designated drop or the presale.

The locals presale will be open to registered fans in eligible zip codes in Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties) and Oklahoma City (Oklahoma, Canadian and Cleveland counties) from April 2-6. Locals get the first chance to score tickets starting at $28 ahead of the general public.

The first ticket drop is slated for April 9-19, with subsequent drops to be announced closer to 2028.

Barcelona turned down a €250 million offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Lamine Yamal when he was 17, according to former club president Joan Laporta.

Yamal, who is now 18, has already established himself as one of the world’s best players, finishing second in the Ballon d’Or voting for 2025.

After breaking out for Barcelona in the 2023-24 season, Yamal helped Spain defeat England in the Euro 2024 final just one day after he turned 17.

In the aftermath of the teenager’s breakout year, Laporta has claimed that the French giants prepared a massive offer for the winger.

Yamal went on to sign a massive contract extension with FC Barcelona in May 2025, securing his future at the club through 2031.

Laporta had previously claimed that Barça received a €250m offer for Yamal, but didn’t name the bidding club.

After Laporta’s advisor Enric Masip suggested PSG was indeed the bidding club, the French side denied that it had lodged an offer, telling L’Equipe that it couldn’t afford such a move.

Laporta served as Barcelona’s president from 2021 until his resignation this month, marking the end of his second term in the position. The 63-year-old is standing for reelection on March 15 and is considered the favorite to win another term.