Live from New York, it’s Monday!
From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Happy Monday!
Start your week off with a laugh by rewatching Iowa women’s basketball superstar Caitlin Clark’s visit to SNL on Saturday, then let’s scroll through the highs and lows of college sports together.
— No. 3–seed Denver junior goaltender and 2024 Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player Matt Davis on the ups and downs his Pioneers faced to become the first men’s hockey team to win 10 national championships on Saturday. Thanks in large part to Davis’ 35 saves, Denver beat No. 1 Boston College 2–0 to reach that summit. Puck yeah.
Women’s basketball
🏀 Live from New York, it’s Monday night!
The GIST: The confetti’s still falling on the 2024 Division I (DI) women’s basketball champs, but there’s no rest for the NCAA’s best graduating ballers: Thirty-six lucky players will become new pros at the 2024 WNBA Draft in Brooklyn, NY, tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tune into ESPN to see if the concrete jungle is where these hoopers’ dreams are made of.
Caitlin Clark, Iowa: As Division I’s all-time leading scorer — among dozens of other records — Clark is tonight’s all-but-guaranteed No. 1 pick. Winning this year’s Clark sweepstakes Draft Lottery? The Indiana Fever, a team already seeing clutch broadcast and ticket sale assists from Clark. This summer in Indianapolis, IN, expect a downpour of logo threes.
Cameron Brink, Stanford: Stanford’s elite two-way forward will likely be keeping her signature double-braids and nasty shot block in California. With a resume that includes the 2021 national championship and a 3x3 Olympic gold medal, Brink is expected to be the No. 2 pick by the LA Sparks.
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina: If LA doesn’t select Brink, expect Cardoso’s name to be called instead. The 6-foot-7 center raised her draft stock with a standout performance throughout South Carolina’s championship run, where Cardoso demonstrated her ability to control the boards and dominate in the paint. Another Gamecock in the W? Yes, please.
Angel Reese, LSU: This year’s Draft is flush with talented forwards, which is why Reese — one of the NCAA’s most iconic ballers — might be a late first-round pick, particularly behind teams in need of guards on their rosters. But this Bayou Barbie has skills, including a rebounding ability unmatched in the college game and a style that the Orange Carpet isn’t ready for.
Dyaisha Fair, Syracuse: Somewhat overshadowed by Clark’s scoring bonanza this season, Fair is a projected second-round gem for a lucky WNBA team. At just 5-foot-5, Fair finished her NCAA career third on DI’s all-time women’s scoring leader list, proving that big things come in small packages.
🛑 Illinois ends Shannon Jr. investigation
Late last week, Illinois closed their investigation into men’s basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr., who was arrested and charged with rape in Lawrence, KS, in late December. The university cited insufficient evidence and a lack of access to the survivor, witness, and Lawrence police files as the reasons for dropping the inquiry.
- While the projected 2024 NBA Draftee escaped university consequences, Shannon Jr. still faces criminal charges in Kansas. Here’s hoping the brave survivor finds justice and healing.
😡 Ex–Oregon women’s soccer players claim abuse by coach
A damning report about Oregon women’s soccer head coach (HC) Graeme Abel — a former USWNT assistant — dropped late last week, with 14 former players saying Abel verbally abused, humiliated, and bullied his team (including threatening to revoke their scholarships). In one incident, he allegedly dismissed the staff from the locker room and then threw objects at players. Horrifying.
- The former Ducks, who range from starters to bench players, say their claims were dismissed by a school official, while Oregon maintains that their own postseason review found “no evidence” of abuse.
⚖️ Former Kentucky swimmers sue school, ex-coach
Two former Kentucky swimmers filed a lawsuit against the university, athletic director, and ex-HC Lars Jorgensen on Friday, claiming Jorgensen sexually assaulted and/or raped them, as well as a third woman who chose to not join the suit. Even worse, the school was allegedly informed about Jorgensen’s problematic behavior just after hiring him in 2012.
- Despite multiple reports by survivors (and at least one fellow coach who witnessed an assault) to the university’s Title IX office, Jorgensen was allowed to continue coaching until his resignation last June. Beyond unacceptable.
Together With The GIST
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If you or your company want to help level the playing field in sports, let’s talk.
🎳 The No. 1 Jacksonville State Gamecocks stunningly became national bowling champs in the program’s inaugural season on Saturday. The ultimate strike.
🎾 Saturday’s ITA wheelchair tennis team trophy went to No. 3–seed Houston and their Coach of the Year Gabriel Gutierrez, who defeated No. 1 San Diego State to snag the hardware.
👟 Another track meet, another NCAA record for No. 12 Florida redshirt junior Parker Valby, who crushed the women’s 10km collegiate time by over 27 seconds at the Bryan Clay Invitational late last week.
🏅Also at the Bryan Clay meet on Friday, No. 2 LSU junior Michaela Rose became the second college woman to run a sub-1:59 800m, joining legendary Team USA middle-distance runner Athing Mu in the speedy and elite club.
🤸 Fisk University sophomore Morgan Price became the first HBCU gymnast to win a national title with her USAG all-around performance on Friday night. Barrier? Smashed.
🏒 The 2024 Hobey Baker Award (NCAA men’s hockey’s MVP) went to No. 2–seed Boston University freshman forward Macklin Celebrini — the youngest player to ever win it — in Friday night’s ceremony.
🥎 Even with four Top-10 softball teams losing their series, it was the Sooner State that stumbled the most this weekend: No. 5 Oklahoma State took a brutal series L from unranked Iowa State, and though they won two of the three tilts, No. 2 Oklahoma’s dominance kept crumbling in Friday’s 9–4 loss to BYU. Ouch.
⚾ Over on the baseball diamond, while No. 3 Texas A&M was outscoring No. 6 Vandy 36–6 to sweep their weekend, No. 1 Arkansas and No. 2 Clemson were both just happy to avoid all brooms, losing their series to No. 25 Alabama and unranked NC State, respectively.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
⚾ Who to know
Dot Wilkinson, one of softball's greatest players from the mid-1900s. Out at the Plate details how Wilkinson inspired many, illuminating a forgotten icon in women’s sports history. A diamond’s gotta shine.
👕 What to buy
This “In My Women’s Sports Era” T-shirt from BreakingT. With Taylor Swift’s next album dropping on April 19th, this twist on her Eras Tour merch celebrating women’s sports is a match made in heaven.
🎧 What to listen to
This episode of Jemele Hill is Unbothered featuring South Carolina HC Dawn Staley. A highlight? Staley’s confession that she doesn’t want to coach pro, but did an NBA interview to collect intel so she can help other women who want to lead at that level. The most supportive queen.
Today's email was brought to you by Ruth Lenzen, Dee Lab, Emma Fernandez, Rachel Fuenzalida, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Lindsay Jost and Isabella Troia. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Lisa Minutillo and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Lauren Tuiskula, and Dee Lab. Managing edits by Dee Lab. Head of Content Ellen Hyslop.