For the first time in 17 years, the four top-seeded teams in the March Madness tournament will meet in the Final Four — and in the same city as the last time it happened.
On Saturday, the University of Florida Gators beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Duke University defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide. On Sunday, Auburn defeated two-seed Michigan State, while Houston defeated Tennessee. Florida and Auburn, both from the SEC, will meet in the semifinals, while Houston plays Duke on April 5 at the Alamodome.
Such a matchup hasn&#8217;t happened since 2008, when Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina, and UCLA met in San Antonio. That year, Kansas defeated Memphis to take the crown.
Duke, coached by Jon Scheyer, is favored to win the title, with star freshman Cooper Flagg seeming a probable choice for the most outstanding player.
However, the Blue Devils face a tough match against Houston; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6243379/2025/03/31/final-four-no-1-seeds-duke-auburn-florida-houston/">according</a> to statistical archivist Ken Pomeroy, Duke has the best offense in college basketball, but Houston has the best defense. Additionally, Houston led the country in 3-point shooting, making almost 40% of their shots. One key difference could be Duke’s youth: their frontcourt of four freshmen will face three players who are 22 or older.
Florida, led by star player Walter Clayton Jr., defeated Auburn earlier in the season 90-81/
Duke has won the national title five times, all coached by Mike Mike Krzyzewski, who also brought the team to the finals four times. Florida won the national title in 2006 and 2007 under Coach Billy Donovan. Houston made the finals twice, in 1983 and 1984.
Auburn has never played in a national championship game.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Elite Eight – San Francisco

Final Four Is All No. 1 Seeds For Only The Second Time In March Madness History

Alabama

Basketball

Duke University

NCAA

United States Air Force 2nd Lieutenant Wyatt Hendrickson stopped to salute President Donald Trump, his commander in chief, just after he won his NCAA wrestling championship.
Hendrickson could be seen just after his win turning to President Trump, snapping to the position of attention, and rendering a salute. Trump, who was attending the event and seated in the front row, raised his fist in salute to Hendrickson.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Wyatt Hendrickson — a second lieutenant in the <a href="https://twitter.com/usairforce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usairforce</a> — salutes President Donald J. Trump after winning an <a href="https://twitter.com/NCAAWrestling?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCAAWrestling</a> national championship 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/KK4ngwH7mW">pic.twitter.com/KK4ngwH7mW</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1903633710462775472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The announcers could be heard referring to Hendrickson as &#8220;Captain America,&#8221; laughing as the Air Force LT draped himself in an American flag. &#8220;I can&#8217;t believe it,&#8221; one said, and another added, &#8220;My jaw is on the floor.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/23/sport/wyatt-hendrickson-gable-steveson-trump-ncaa-wrestling-spt-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hendrickson&#8217;s win</a> against Olympic champion Gable Steveson came after he delivered a stunning takedown — the only takedown Steveson allowed the entire season — in the final moments of the match, coming from behind to win the heavyweight title.
&#8220;All the matches were terrific last night, but they saved the best for last! Wyatt Hendrickson, an Air Force Academy graduate, pulled off a huge upset — something I know a little bit about — beating an Olympic champion. When I say when I watch wrestling, I see America — this is what I’m talking about,&#8221; Senator David McCormick (R-PA) commented.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
All the matches were terrific last night, but they saved the best for last! Wyatt Hendrickson, an Air Force Academy graduate, pulled off a huge upset &#8211; something I know a little bit about &#8211; beating an Olympic champion.
When I say when I watch wrestling, I see America &#8211; this is… <a href="https://t.co/GIyeYTyNg6">https://t.co/GIyeYTyNg6</a> <a href="https://t.co/L8WAAaginU">pic.twitter.com/L8WAAaginU</a>
&mdash; Senator Dave McCormick (@SenMcCormickPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMcCormickPA/status/1903820472023749076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hendrickson, who wrestles for Oklahoma State University, made an appearance Monday morning on Fox News and told &#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom&#8221; anchor Bill Hemmer about how &#8220;special&#8221; it was to have Trump in the audience when he won the title.
&#8220;That&#8217;s pretty special, I gotta be very honest with you,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That is very special, you know when we talk about the final boss — like that is the boss of my boss of my boss, so, you know, having him be there and support the great sport of wrestling and be able to watch me have a historic moment like that, I mean, that&#8217;s something I&#8217;ll remember for the rest of my life.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Oklahoma State wrestler and Air Force Second Lieutenant Wyatt Hendrickson on winning the national championship with President Trump watching: &quot;Having him be there and support the great sport of wrestling and be able to watch me have a historic moment like that &#8212; that&#39;s something… <a href="https://t.co/qg4LE8MNsX">pic.twitter.com/qg4LE8MNsX</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1904179323906437626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

2025 NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championship

Air Force LT Wins NCAA Wrestling Title, Stops In His Tracks To Salute President Trump

Donald Trump

General

Sports

U.S.

U.S. Air Force

Wrestling

West Virginia Republican Governor Patrick Morrisey wants more “objective criteria” to determine which college basketball teams secure a bid to the NCAA basketball tournament.
Morrisey appeared on Daily Wire’s sports podcast Crain and Company on Tuesday after the West Virginia Mountaineers (19-13), a team on the bubble, did not make the bracket. The team finished 10-10 in Big 12 Conference matchups.
“That was outrageous for a lot of reasons. And that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s important that we step up and get to the bottom of things, because I don&#8217;t think we should have this kind of travesty, this kind of robbery, ever occur in the future,” Morrisey said. The governor has called for an investigation into the tournament selection process.
Critics have blasted the NCAA tournament selection committee for including the North Carolina Tar Heels (23-13) in the bracket over the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers had a more impressive resume when the strength of their schedule was taken into account. WVU had six Quad 1 wins, the most impressive wins as measured by the NCAA, and no losses below Quad 2. UNC, on the other hand, went 1-12 in Quad 1 matchups and a Quad 3 loss, which means a loss to a relatively weak team.
In early December, WVU star Tucker DeVries, the son of WVU’s head coach, Darian DeVries, sustained a season-ending injury. That was the primary reason WVU did not make it into the tournament, according to Bubba Cunningham, the NCAA tournament selection committee chairman. Cunningham also serves as North Carolina&#8217;s athletic director.
Even with DeVries out, experts expected the Mountaineers to receive a tournament invite.
“Everyone had WVU safely in the bracket. One hundred eleven out of 111 bracketologists – these are these people that do this for a living, they come up with these formulas – universally say WVU is in,” Morrisey said. “By the way, UNC, 27 of the 111 bracketologists say that.”
Cunningham’s dual roles as chairman of the selection committee and athletic director for UNC have incited allegations that the WVU snub may be about more than incompetency or favoritism. Cunningham said he was not in the room when the decision on UNC was made and asserted that &#8220;all the policies and procedures were followed.&#8221;
In a press conference earlier this week, Morrisey raged against the NCAA from behind a podium with a sign that read “National Corrupt Athletic Association.”
“You have an athletic director walk out the door at the supposed just right time, and then their team gets secured as the last team in, and, meanwhile WVU is the last team out,” Morrisey said. “So, I want sunlight, I want disinfectant. That&#8217;s what this is all about. Let’s fix it for the future.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="March Madness TAMPERING?! West Virginia Governor Explains His Investigation | Crain &amp; Company" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JDFrujL4RYA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Patrick Morrisey

West Virginia GOP Governor Wants NCAA Tourney Overhauled After WVU Snub

West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey Wants NCAA Tourney Overhauled After WVU Snub

Crain and Company

March Madness

West Virginia

A new ad from the pro-woman brand XX-XY Athletics calls out the NCAA for a new transgender policy that women’s sports advocates warn will still allow a possible loophole for trans-identifying males to continue to compete in women’s sports.
The ad — shared by Riley Gaines on <a href="https://x.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1894764315250491500">X</a> — from the company’s founder Jennifer Sey, showcases female athletes who’ve lost out on opportunities because of male trans-identifying athletes and those who have faced attacks for standing up for themselves and other girls.
“We see you NCAA,” the ad starts out. “You announced a new policy after [President Donald] Trump’s executive order, this policy does not protect females. It sets no clear boundary.”
“This policy does nothing to ensure women’s sports are for women only,” the athletes added. “You said you were going to comply with federal law, but you didn’t. Your policy is based on a birth certificate. That’s the proof required. But it’s no proof of sex.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The new NCAA policy is in direct conflict with President Trumps beautifully written Executive Order, &#8220;Keeping Men Out of Women&#8217;s Sports&#8221;.
We see you, <a href="https://twitter.com/NCAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NCAA</a><a href="https://t.co/6QHTXozSVr">pic.twitter.com/6QHTXozSVr</a>
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1894764315250491500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Gaines and others in the ad point out that in 44 states birth certificates can be altered.
The ad closes with a call to the NCAA to go back to the drawing board and fix the policy, warning the governing body that athletes and women’s sports advocates can see right through what it appears the NCAA is attempting to do.
“We see you [NCAA President] Charlie Baker,” the female sports players concluded. “We see you NCAA. We see you … you tried to silence us but we are not going away. Young athletes are depending on us. Depending on you. And if you won’t stand up for female athletes, we will.”
Gaines, Sage Steele, and other women’s sports advocates recently warned that there was a loophole in the NCAA policy that could be exploited to allow trans-identifying male athletes to compete against women.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ncaas-new-trans-participation-policy-as-clear-mud-riley-gaines-says?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=later-linkinbio">Fox News</a>, the former collegiate female swimmer said that the new policy is “explicitly in conflict” with Trump’s executive order, which asserts an outright ban on biological men competing in women’s sports.
NCAA announced its new policy for “student-athletes ‘assigned male at birth’ and their participation on women’s teams” following Trump’s EO, which uses “gender identity” language instead of male and female definition for sex. It is that “gender identity” language that has Gaines and other advocates for girls sports concerned.
“No. 1, first and foremost, this policy removes all accountability from the NCAA, which, of course, is something that has been on their minds for a long time,” Gaines said. “It provides loopholes for both states and schools because it does not define sex, which we have seen now is a problem, unfortunately.”
“I mean, it’s wild we have to define sex-based terms like male and female, but we’ve seen what happens when we don’t,” she added, noting that all but 6 states in the U.S. allow birth certificates to be altered.
A spokesperson for the NCAA told the outlet, “The policy is clear that there are no waivers available, and athletes assigned male at birth may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or other forms of ID.”
Despite NCAA comments, Gaines expressed concern and said “the policy is as clear as mud.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/riley-gaines-sage-steele-warn-about-possible-ncaa-loophole-for-trans-identifying-male-athletes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Riley Gaines, Sage Steele Warn About Possible NCAA Loophole For Trans-Identifying Male Athletes</a>

Trans Sports

‘We See You’: New Ad Calls Out NCAA For New Transgender Policy

Riley Gaines

Transgender Athletes

Women's sports

Three Fresno State University college basketball players are at the center of a university and NCAA investigation into alleged sports gambling, including two players accused of betting on their own games.
One player, Mykell Robinson, has been removed from the team, and two other players, Jalen Weaver and Zaon Collins, have been suspended over their potential ties to sports gambling, ABC 30 Action News <a href="https://abc30.com/post/fresno-state-mens-basketball-players-allegedly-placed-bets-games-played-sources-say/15946235/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. According to the report, Robinson and Weaver allegedly placed bets on their own team, including bets that the Bulldogs would underperform in total points and rebounds in one game. Collins, meanwhile, is being investigated for placing bets on professional sports.
Fresno State, which is in the middle of its worst season in program history, will now lose two of its top three scorers — Weaver and Collins — for the foreseeable future, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/43969441/fresno-state-holds-players-source-confirms-betting-inquiry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN</a>. Weaver is averaging 12.5 points per game this season, while Collins averages 12 points per game. Collins also leads the team with 4.7 assists per game.
The Bulldogs moved to 5-23 on the season after their last loss to Air Force, which put them on a 10-game losing streak. The team&#8217;s head coach, Vance Walberg, reportedly discovered the alleged gambling by the student-athletes and notified the university&#8217;s administration.
Robinson — who averaged 10.3 points per game — has not played since January 11, while Weaver and Collins were suspended just before the team tipped off against Air Force on Saturday. The Bulldogs, playing with only seven players, lost in overtime, 72-69. Just 30 minutes before the game started against Air Force, Fresno State announced that the two players were &#8220;being withheld from competition as the University reviews an eligibility matter.&#8221;
&#8220;The University and Athletics Department will have no further comments regarding the matter at this time,&#8221; Fresno State added.
Fresno State, currently part of the Mountain West Conference, announced last year that it would join the Pac-12 effective July 1, 2026.

Fresno State v UNLV

College Basketball Players Allegedly Placed Bets On Games They Played In

California

California State University Fresno

College basketball

Crime

Fresno, California

gambling

The Trump administration demanded on Tuesday that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ncaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NCAA</a> strip the records and awards of the male athletes who competed in female sports at the collegiate and high school levels because of their transgender identity.
The Department of Education wrote a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) demanding that they take action to restore the awards, records, and titles that female athletes would have won had they not been displaced by male athletes who identified as female.
“The NCAA and NFHS should also immediately act to rectify the injustices that female athletes across the nation endured during the years that NCAA and NFHS policies promoted and facilitated men competing on women’s teams,” Deputy General Council Candice Jackson wrote.
The letter, written to NCAA President Charlie Baker and NFHS President Bob Lombardi, said that the Education Department would be enforcing Title IX to “hold educational institutions accountable for depriving female athletes of the awards, records, points, prizes, titles, trophies, announcements or other recognition assigned in favor of male athletes who were allowed to compete in female sports.”
This would mean stripping male athletes who identified as female, like University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, who won the women’s NCAA Division 1 championship in the 500-yard freestyle, of their accolades.
“Whether the number of records in women’s events attributed to men is 1 or 1 million, every official record of women’s performances must accurately reflect the achievements of female athletes, not of male ones,” Jackson wrote.
Riley Gaines, who competed against Thomas, and shared a fifth place result with him at the women’s 200-meter NCAA championships back in 2022, praised the Education Department.
“Restoring stolen athletic accolades to their rightful owners is a crucial step towards reinstating accountability, integrity, and common sense – one that I wholeheartedly support,” she said.
The letter also pointed to an executive order from President Donald Trump that strips funding from schools that force female athletes to compete with males and instructs the Education Department to enforce Title IX against schools that allow trans-identifying males in women’s sports or force girls to share locker rooms with males. One day later, the NCAA <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ncaa-backs-down-changes-transgender-athlete-policy-after-trump-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">changed its policy</a> to keep sports segregated by sex.
“While NCAA has amended its policy to state that a male may not compete for a women’s team, officially correcting the records is another critical step in rectifying the miscarriage of justice against female athletes allowed under the Biden Administration and giving female athletes the recognition they rightfully earned,” Senior Advisor for the Office of Communication in the Department of Education Julie Hartman told The Daily Wire.

NCAA SWIMMING: MAR 18 Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships

Trump Admin Tells NCAA To Strip Records Of Male Athletes Who Competed In Women’s Sports

College sports

Department of Education

Lia Thomas

Politics

Social Issues

Swimming

Trump Administration

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) National Board of Management (NBM) will have the chance on Saturday to vote to keep trans-identifying men out of the historically female group.
“Last year I called attention to the radical trans-identifying men who are attempting to invade the Daughters of the American Revolution,” The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles wrote on <a href="https://x.com/michaeljknowles/status/1887576702194258365">X</a>. “This Saturday, DAR leadership will vote on whether or not to let them.”
On Feb. 8, the DAR NBM, a group made up of executive officers, state regents, and honorary vice presidents general, will meet to vote on a bylaw amendment to prohibit all men, including trans-identifying males, from the group. If approved, it will be heard by the entire DAR membership at its Continental Congress gathering in June. 
Knowles <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michael-knowles-exposes-transgender-attempt-to-infiltrate-daughters-of-american-revolution">previously revealed</a> — in a viral thread on <a href="https://x.com/michaeljknowles/status/1838267625962405922">X</a> — how a group of daughters were “channeling their rebellious spirit of their forebears” by fighting back “this time building a larger, grassroots effort to affirm the original intent of the bylaws and prevent men from continuing to invade their genealogical society.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPDATE: Last year I called attention to the radical trans-identifying men who are attempting to invade the Daughters of the American Revolution. This Saturday, DAR leadership will vote on whether or not to let them.<a href="https://t.co/SXtcYYbkaN">https://t.co/SXtcYYbkaN</a>
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles/status/1887576702194258365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
Knowles shared details of an internal DAR FAQ document which said that “members are expected to pretend that ‘transgender women’ have always been eligible and that their inclusion took place ‘organically,’ as if implicit in bylaws written before ‘transgenderism’ was even thought to exist.”
In January, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas">Texas</a> DAR Chapter decided to fight back against its national organization’s decision to allow trans-identifying males into their organization, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daughters-of-the-american-revolution-chapter-is-fighting-to-keep-men-out">reported</a>.
In a letter from the Martha Laird Chapter — with help from the Center for American Liberty (CAL) — it has pushed back against a threat from its leadership that by prohibiting transgender males, the DAR would somehow lose its tax-exempt status, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/texas-daughters-american-revolution-chapter-challenges-premise-must-admit-transgender-members">Fox News</a> reported.
“Members have been told that in order to keep our nonprofit status we must allow men who submit an altered birth certificate indicating they are female to be eligible members,” a letter on the DAR <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1659132851538607/permalink/1776056659846225/?mibextid=wwXIfr&amp;_rdr">Facebook</a> page read. “Our hope is that once members and the NBM can feel confident that our nonprofit status is not in jeopardy, they will no longer feel intimidated and vote to allow this bylaw amendment to be heard at Continental Congress.”
In Sept. 2024, the Texas chapter — with the endorsement of eleven other Chapters — submitted a second proposed bylaw amendment to prohibit all men, including trans-identifying males, from the group, after a prior one was rejected on the basis that it would put their nonprofit status in jeopardy, a letter from the group posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1659132851538607/permalink/1776056659846225/?mibextid=wwXIfr&amp;_rdr">Facebook</a> read.
The new proposed bylaw amendment says, “A woman is defined as a biological female at conception, having naturally occurring X chromosomes, exclusive of Y chromosomes, and certified as female or girl on the original birth certificate. NSDAR and its chapters may not discriminate against an eligible applicant.”
The NBM vote comes after President Donald Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/">Executive Order</a> defining that the United States will only recognize two genders, male and female. It read, “‘Sex’ is not a synonym for and does not include the concept of ‘gender identity.’” The EO also <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/20/us-news/trump-executive-order-to-define-sex-as-male-and-female/">reverse</a>s the prior <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-sign-executive-order-defining-sex-as-male-and-female">policy</a> of allowing people to change their sex on passports and personnel records.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daughters-of-the-american-revolution-chapter-is-fighting-to-keep-men-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daughters Of The American Revolution Chapter Is Fighting To Keep Men Out</a>

Symbol of transgender and female and male gender symbols

Daughters of the American Revolution Board To Vote To Keep Trans-Identifying Men Out

Daughters of the American Revolution

Michael Knowles

Transgenders

Walmart, Target, McDonalds, Amazon, Ford — the list goes on and on. Corporate America is finally waking up — their customers don’t want so-called Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) forced into their everyday lives. This is good. It’s a sign that companies may be returning their focus to goods and services, rather than politically motivated barometers of social justice. It appears, though, that some areas of higher education remain boxed in to DEI control — and who is actually calling those plays may surprise you.
Taxpayer-funded schools shovel billions of dollars into an organization insistent on DEI promotion: the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The most powerful organization in college sports <a href="https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2022/11/29/ncaa-division-i-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-attestation-frequently-asked-questions.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">requires members</a> to sign <a href="https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2016/3/2/ncaa-inclusion-statement.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a constitution</a> promising schools, and thus their funds, will “commit to promoting DEI in athletic activities and events, hiring practices, professional and coaching relationships, leadership and advancement opportunities.”  
With the weight of football national championships, volleyball scholarships, and March Madness behind them, the organization has the power to flex and is strategically using it to push woke agendas. The pressure begins with athletics, but it does not stop there. The cost of admittance into the association creeps into every aspect of the school’s “community.” This compromises the integrity of academic staff, housing, curriculum, culture, and more of every member institution. Division One schools are even required to conduct a “DEI review” every four years “for the good of the greater community.” 
“The NCAA is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture in college athletics and to supporting DEI efforts of member schools, conferences and the national office,” the background statement on their “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Review Framework” reads, “Building on the intent of the NCAA’s Presidential Pledge and Commitment to Promoting Diversity and Gender Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics, Division I adopted legislation that requires institutions to attest to completing a self-directed DEI review once every four years.” 
If a school wants to impress future students with a prestigious football program, they’ll have to bend the knee to DEI authorities to play elite competition. 
This was evident to me as I participated in the recent 2025 NCAA Convention. The annual meeting came at the cusp of the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act and a landmark court decision striking down former President Biden’s illegal Title IX re-write. Athletic Directors flooded my line with, “What does this mean for us?” So, I attended a panel titled “Navigating the Inclusion Landscape” to see exactly how they were advising Athletic Directors. Sadly, they provided no guidance. The tone-deaf panel of DEI experts failed to mention the impending lawsuits, recent rule changes, and other elephants in the room that actually define the landscape. Rather, the panel of NCAA experts touted the phrase: “DEI is good!” 
The constant religious-like repetition of the phrase reeked of desperation. “There is still purpose in DEI programs and initiatives,” they promised. 
One panelist’s strategy hinted at how they plan to fight the will of most Americans: 
“I got academic freedom,” she exclaimed, “I got tenure! I might be able to say things to your student athletes that would be harder for you all to say. If your campus has tenured faculty, USE US! USE US to help you do this work and to figure out how not to be silent.” 
During the session, participants were careful to use unbound identifiers such as “black identifying athletes.” I grabbed several of their handouts on my way out including a pamphlet detailing how “language can impact how your athletes perform,” complete with a “social identity wheel.” 
Resources also specifically addressed how private faith-based institutions can focus on “respect and inclusion for LGBTQ student-athletes and staff.” The actions include embracing their presence, displaying resources, and initiating conversations with high-level school administrators and board members about creating an “inclusive campus for LGBTQ people.” 
I came out of the experience with one prevalent realization. While NCAA President Charlie Baker tells Congress the NCAA is forced to follow federal law in this area, the evidence suggests they aren’t followers but radical leaders actively pushing the DEI infestation compromising school athletics and academia at-large.
Congress, the White House, and the American people shouldn’t let the NCAA’s shiny national championship trophies distract them from the problem at hand. Americans voted for Donald Trump in large part because they wanted to see a change of direction in DEI. But to realize these goals, they must demand transparency and accountability from the NCAA for their coercive DEI policies that roadblock meaningful change.
* * *
Macy Petty is a Legislative Strategist and Women’s Sports Spokesperson at Concerned Women for America.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

2024 Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship

Why College Sports Need To Kill DEI Programs

American Universities

College

Diversity

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> House Republicans unanimously called on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to reverse its controversial decision to allow trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s sports.
The new letter signed by all 75 House Republicans was sent on the first day of the NCAA&#8217;s annual convention, which takes place in Nashville.
&#8220;The hard work of female athletes is now in serious jeopardy. The NCAA’s 2010 rule change allowing men who decide to be women and displace real women in competitive sports has had devastating consequences,&#8221; read the letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker.
The NCAA oversees more than 500,000 college athletes at about 1,100 schools.
The letter outlines several concerns with trans-identifying males in women&#8217;s sports, including the physical safety of female athletes, lost victories, and lack of privacy in women&#8217;s locker rooms.
&#8220;Forcing women to compete against males in noncontact sports is unfair at best, but allowing them to compete in contact sports approaches abuse and creates opportunities for serious injury,&#8221; the Republicans wrote. &#8220;And when a man is given access to female locker rooms and bathrooms, it infringes on every woman’s reasonable expectation to the right of privacy and robs their dignity.&#8221;
The lawmakers called the idea &#8220;absurd&#8221; that men competing against women is &#8220;inclusive and safe.&#8221;
&#8220;The actions by the NCAA are humiliating and destructive to young women and the NCAA’s leaders should know and act better,&#8221; they said.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/">JOIN THE MOVEMENT IN ’25 WITH 25% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS WITH CODE DW25</a>
The Republicans called on the collegiate sports governing body to &#8220;take bold action to protect women’s sports&#8221; during their convention this month.
The letter was spearheaded by House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, who also on Tuesday filed a measure honoring Tennessee native and former college athlete Riley Gaines for her advocacy against men in women&#8217;s sports.
“Americans have spoken loud and clear on this issue, and they do not want men entering their daughters’ locker rooms or bathrooms, stealing their scholarship opportunities and robbing them of their records and hard-fought victories. We are hopeful the NCAA will do the right thing; Men have no place in women’s sports,” Garrett said in a statement.
Over the last few years, the country has seen fierce backlash to trans-identifying men competing with and against women.
Female athletes have spoken out about losing competitions to male competitors, their uncomfortable experiences being in a locker room with a male, and several have suffered devastating <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/female-student-athlete-seriously-injured-in-field-hockey-game-involving-male-player-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">injuries</a> due to a male player.
Tennessee has passed several laws aimed at keeping males out of women&#8217;s sports at both the <a href="https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/112/pub/pc0040.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">K-12</a> and <a href="https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/112/pub/pc1005.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">college</a> level.

Woman running outdoor.

Tennessee House Republicans Call On NCAA To Reverse Decision Allowing Men In Women’s Sports

Republican

Tennessee

Transgender

Women

Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders slammed the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award on Tuesday after it snubbed two-way Colorado star football player Travis Hunter from its finalist list.
Hunter, who starts at both wide receiver and cornerback for the 8-3 Buffaloes, is the heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy heading into the final weeks before the winner is announced on December 14. The latest odds in betting markets have Hunter at -1,000 — giving him an implied 90.9% chance of winning the most prestigious award in college football, according to BetMGM. The award is given to the most valuable player in college football every year.
The <a href="https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2025-nfl-mock-draft-three-quarterbacks-go-in-the-top-10-shedeur-sanders-new-york-giants">projected</a> No. 1 NFL Draft pick for next year was named as a finalist for multiple awards on Tuesday, including the Maxwell Award (for best all-around player), Biletnikoff Award (for best wide receiver), Bednarik Award (for best defensive player), Hornung Award (for most versatile player) and Walter Camp Award (for most outstanding player).
However, it was the one award for which Hunter was not a finalist that upset Sanders — who starred in the NFL and MLB at the same time.
&#8220;How is Travis Hunter snubbed for the Jim Thorpe Award?&#8221; Sanders asked at a press conference. &#8220;You could have my award. You could have it back. Matter of fact, I’m gonna give him mine. I ain’t using it. It’s just sitting up there collecting dust. So Travis can have my Thorpe award because if this ain’t the most idiotic thing in college football that he’s not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and he is — I would say arguably but I don’t really think it’s an argument about this young man being the best defensive back in college football.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
&#8220;He rarely gets thrown at,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;He’s won a game for tackling for us. And he’s always on point. So if you bring up the statistics I don’t know how in the world is Travis Hunter not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. They just pretty much messed up all the integrity of the award, and he can have mine.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Coach Prime on Travis Hunter not being a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award:
“How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Thorpe. You can have my award, you can have it back. In fact i’m gonna give him mine” <a href="https://t.co/vHHUF24CzA">pic.twitter.com/vHHUF24CzA</a>
— DNVR Buffs (@DNVR_Buffs) <a href="https://twitter.com/DNVR_Buffs/status/1861473018503143744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
If Hunter wins the Heisman Trophy, he will become only the second defensive player in history to win the award.
Michigan Wolverines cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997 was the only defensive player to win the Heisman.
However, there is a key difference between Woodson and Hunter. Woodson only played situationally on offense and started on defense, whereas Hunter starts on both sides of the ball and plays nearly every play in the game outside of special teams.
During Woodson&#8217;s Heisman year, he intercepted seven passes and made 43 tackles on defense while catching 11 passes for 231 yards and a receiving touchdown on offense. He also had 1 rushing touchdown.
So far in 2024, Hunter has intercepted three passes and deflected breakups — despite rarely being thrown at — and had a game-winning forced fumble on the goal line against Baylor. On offense, Hunter has 82 catches for 1,036 yards and 11 touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown.

Colorado v Colorado State

Deion Sanders To Give Travis Hunter His Thorpe Award After Hunter Gets Snubbed

Celebrities

College Football

Colorado

Deion Sanders

Football

The starting quarterback for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, announced late Tuesday night that he will not play any more games this season for the unbeaten Rebels, alleging that the program did not keep some of its &#8220;commitments.&#8221;
Matthew Sluka, who helped get UNLV to a 3-0 record and in the conversation for a playoff bid this season, shocked the sports world, writing in a statement posted to X, &#8220;I have decided to utilize my redshirt year and will not be playing in any additional games this season.&#8221; Sluka, who transferred from Holy Cross last season, did not mention specific promises that he says were not being fulfilled, but reports suggest that he was upset with UNLV over name, image, and likeness (NIL) guarantees that allow student-athletes to be paid by companies and third-party organizations.
&#8220;I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled,&#8221; Sluka added. &#8220;Despite discussions, it became clear that these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future. I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and hope for the continued success of the program.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<a href="https://t.co/oK5BDRpoxK">pic.twitter.com/oK5BDRpoxK</a>
&mdash; Matthew Sluka (@MatthewSluka) <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthewSluka/status/1838799758577799607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Later on Tuesday, ESPN college football Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg <a href="https://x.com/ESPNRittenberg/status/1838948515113767100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Sluka&#8217;s father said his son&#8217;s agent &#8220;agreed to an NIL deal with the school back in February, never received payments despite requests and never asked for any adjustments to the original deal.&#8221; Sluka&#8217;s father added, &#8220;We have no idea what the hell happened.&#8221;
One of Sluka&#8217;s representatives, Marcus Cromartie, said that the quarterback was promised $100,000 if he transferred to UNLV, but none of that money was paid, <a href="https://x.com/PeteThamel/status/1838949768787096036" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ESPN Senior Writer Pete Thamel. Cromartie alleged that UNLV offered Sluka $3,000 per month for the next four months, which would amount to $88,000 less than what Cromartie said Sluka was initially promised.
Rob Sine, who runs Blueprint Sports — a company that manages UNLV&#8217;s collective — said that the collective never agreed to a $100,000 deal with Sluka, Yahoo Sports <a href="https://x.com/RossDellenger/status/1838975453262233881" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Sine added that the collective was working on a deal with Sluka that would pay him $3,000 per month before the quarterback announced his decision to quit playing.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Jake Crain, the host of The Daily Wire&#8217;s &#8220;Crain &amp; Co.&#8221; podcast, said that people should wait for more information before rushing to pin the blame on either Sluka or UNLV.
&#8220;The whole Sluka situation sucks but there is a massive difference in: A) Not getting paid what you were promised before the season B) Asking for more money and quitting when you don’t get it. Need to find out which one it is,&#8221; Crain <a href="https://x.com/JakeCrain_/status/1838944098532614315" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
Sluka&#8217;s decision to redshirt after just three games of UNLV&#8217;s season <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/41430604/unlv-qb-matthew-sluka-no-longer-play-rebels-representations-were-not-upheld" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allows</a> the senior to keep his final year of eligibility, which means he could play a full season for a team next year. The quarterback was off to a good start in UNLV&#8217;s backfield, throwing for 318 yards and six touchdowns while also rushing for 286 yards and one touchdown.
The Rebels defeated a ranked Kansas team in week 3, moving them to their first 3-0 start since the 1984 season. With college football&#8217;s expanded playoffs going into effect this season, UNLV was considered a potential dark horse program that could sneak into the new 12-team format.
Sluka&#8217;s sudden departure has already affected <a href="https://www.espn.com/espn/betting/story/_/id/40159558/betting-buzz-latest-sports-betting-odds-updates-changes-line-moves-industry-intel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">betting odds</a> on UNLV in their next game against Fresno State. The Rebels were a 4.5-point favorite at the beginning of the week, but now Fresno State is listed as a 1-point favorite, according to ESPN BET.

Matthew Sluka

Starting College QB Quits Unbeaten Team, Alleges Promises ‘Were Not Upheld’

Starting College QB Quits Unbeaten Team, Alleges Promises 'Were Not Upheld'

Business

Las Vegas

Nevada

Former USC running back and NFL star Reggie Bush is suing his alma mater, the Pac-12 Conference, and the NCAA over their use of his name, image, and likeness (NIL) during his college football career.
Bush filed a lawsuit alleging the three organizations were compensated handsomely for using Bush’s “significant popularity” to promote college football and the University of Southern California, ESPN <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/40014492/reggie-bush-heisman-trophy-returned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Bush’s legal team at McCathern Law issued <a href="https://shorefire.com/releases/entry/reggie-bush-sues-ncaa-usc-and-pac-12-for-profiting-from-uncompensated-use-of-name-image-and-likeness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press release</a> on Monday announcing the lawsuit.
“From the moment Reggie Bush joined USC, the NCAA, USC, and the Pac-12 Conference began capitalizing on his significant popularity. Revenue streams including lucrative TV contracts, merchandise sales, and extensive media rights have generated substantial profits for these organizations, all directly linked to Reggie Bush&#8217;s prominence,” the law firm said. “Despite this, Reggie Bush has not received any compensation for the use of his name, image, or likeness. Even after Reggie transitioned to his successful NFL career, these entities continued to benefit financially from his reputation without any acknowledgment of his contribution.”
Evan Selik, who works at McCathern Law, said in the press release: “This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush; it’s about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes. Our goal is to rectify this injustice and pave the way for a system where athletes are rightfully recognized, compensated and treated fairly for their contributions.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
Bush won the coveted Heisman Trophy in 2005 but was forced to return it in 2010 due to sanctions imposed on USC, including allegations that Bush had received improper benefits as a student-athlete between 2003 and 2005, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reggie-bush-gets-his-heisman-trophy-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Bush tried to get his Heisman back, and the Heisman Trust said it would return the award if the NCAA would reinstate Bush’s record from his 2005 season, CBS Sports <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/reggie-bushs-2005-heisman-trophy-reinstated-as-former-usc-trojans-star-wins-long-battle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Last year, Bush filed a defamation lawsuit against the NCAA, claiming the organization was wrong to say he had been involved in “pay-for-play arrangements.”
Bush&#8217;s Heisman trophy was finally returned to him in April, 14 years after he was first forced to give it up. The stated reason for the return was &#8220;fundamental changes in college athletics,&#8221; including rules that have allowed for “student athlete compensation,” which has become &#8220;an accepted practice and appears here to stay.&#8221;
Bush reacted to the return of his trophy by <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/40014492/reggie-bush-heisman-trophy-returned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telling</a> ESPN: “Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family. I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”
He played 11 seasons in the NFL, including stints with the New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, and Buffalo Bills.

Reggie Bush

Former NFL Star Reggie Bush Sues USC, Pac-12, And NCAA Over Name, Image, Likeness Exploitation

Courts

Pac 12

Menu