Breaking News

Sports

San Diego Padres minor league coach released from ICE custody

National Sports

A San Diego Padres minor league coaching coordinator who was detained by federal immigration officers in Texas has been released on bond, his family said Tuesday. Oswaldo Pirela, who is from Venezuela and lives in Arizona, was back home with his family following his release on Monday, his sister Daniela Pirela said. The Padres also confirmed that Pirela, a catching coordinator in their minor league system, was no longer in custody. “We are pleased that Oswaldo Pirela has been released on bond and reunited with his family. Out of respect for his privacy and the ongoing matter, we ...

SEC joins Big Ten in banning pros from returning to college

Local Sports

The Southeastern Conference passed a rule Tuesday banning players who have been drafted by NFL, NBA or WNBA teams or listed on rosters in those leagues, joining the Big Ten in taking a strong stand against an unexpected surge of pro players trying to return to college with the NCAA mired in a sprawling legal fight over eligibility. The SEC’s rule goes beyond the one adopted earlier in the day by the Big Ten, which only included football in its decision and is expected address other sports later. The news was the latest in a head-spinning week of court rulings, emergency rulemaking ...

Iowa football opener is sold out

Local Sports

TIMES-REPUBLICAN IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa football team’s season opener against Northern Illinois at Kinnick Stadium is officially sold out, the UI Athletics Department announced Monday. The Huskies will be making their first visit to Kinnick Stadium since 2018. Iowa’s first four home contests of 2026 are sold out: Northern Illinois (Sept. 5), Iowa State (Sept. 12), UNI (Sept. 19) and Ohio State (Oct. 3). Tickets remain for home games against Wisconsin (Oct. 31; Homecoming), Purdue (Nov. 14), and Nebraska (Nov. 27). Iowa has sold out 28 consecutive games inside ...

Big Ten bids for 4th straight national championship

Local Sports

For all the angst over skyrocketing amounts of money paid to college athletes, courtroom battles over player eligibility and debate about the number of teams in the playoff, the biggest on-the-field storyline this football season is whether the Big Ten can win a fourth consecutive national ...

Tight end waived by Eagles headed to LSU

National Sports

BATON ROUGE, La. — After a stop in the NFL, former Mississippi tight end Dae’Quan Wright could be heading to LSU thanks to a court order that is creating havoc throughout college sports by allowing Wright and others an unexpected fifth year of eligibility. Wright’s agent, Drew ...

Former Cyclone Royce White not eligible for WNBA Draft

Local Sports

NEW YORK — Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are not eligible for the WNBA draft, a person familiar with the decision said Monday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. The person did not elaborate on the reasons for declaring the two men ineligible. Freedom and White have declared their intention to enter next year's draft, but the WNBA has not publicly addressed their eligibility. The WNBA has been the subject of recent debates on whether transgender women — people assigned male ...