AP National Sports

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Former Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen has been charged with sexual assault following an investigation. Vancouver police say one count of sexual assault has been lodged against the 25-year-old stemming from an incident in a hotel room in September 2017, when Virtanen was playing for the Canucks. A civil lawsuit

By ANNE M. PETERSON AP Sports Writer PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland Thorns midfielder Lindsey Horan has been loaned to French club Lyon through the summer of 2023. She had previously played in France with Paris Saint-Germain from 2012 to 2016. Horan has been with the Thorns since 2016 and has signed a contract extension

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer There are a lot of old newcomers making big impacts in college basketball. ACC top scorer Alondes Williams for Wake Forest and Pac-12 leader Terrell Brown Jr. at Washington are both senior transfers new to their teams this season. That also goes for the leading scorers for four of

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Guardians officials say the team has reached an agreement to extend its lease at its downtown ballpark through at least 2036. Team officials said Thursday financing has been secured for improvements at Progressive Field. Team owner and CEO Paul Dolan says the agreement will lead to a more “compelling fan experience”

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There was never a sense of panic for Patrick Mahomes as he stood on the sideline Sunday night, watching the Bills score yet another late touchdown to regain the lead with 13 seconds left in their divisional-round game against the Chiefs. Thirteen seconds? With

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer Long before he represented Tom Brady, Bryant Young, Sean Payton and Jimmy Garoppolo, Don Yee considered a career in journalism. Changing course was the right choice. Yee became one of sports’ most influential agents. Yee was a producer for a sports radio show in California after high school

LONDON (AP) — Aston Villa has signed defender Calum Chambers from Arsenal, making him the club’s fifth addition of the January transfer window. The 27-year-old Chambers can play in both central defense and at right-back and signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at Villa Park for an undisclosed fee. His arrival follows those of Philippe Coutinho, Lucas

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball will not require players with minor league contracts to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this season but is mandating that most staff receive the shots. While players with major league contracts are unionized and rules regarding them must be negotiated by the Major League Baseball Players Association, players with

By ERICA HUNZINGER AP Sports Writer It is a man’s world six months after the NCAA cleared the way for college athletes to earn money on their celebrity. Men lead the way in total name, image and likeness compensation and have more NIL activities than women. That’s according to third-party data from July 1 through

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer The latest diversity study on FBS hiring finds women and people of color are underrepresented in athletic departments. The report card was issued Thursday by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. The study indicated improvement among racial hiring at the 130 Football Bowl Subdivision schools for a

NEW YORK (AP) — An advocacy group for minor leaguers says Major League Baseball’s new housing policy is an improvement but still inadequate. The player steering committee of Advocates for Minor Leaguers issued a statement objecting to housing two players per bedroom and not accommodating spouses and children. The group also is against using host

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Gene Clines, part of the first all-minority lineup in Major League Baseball history and a line drive-hitting outfielder for the 1971 World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates, has died. He was 75. Clines’ wife, Joanne, told the Pirates that Clines died Thursday. On Sept. 1, 1971, Clines batted second and played center field

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer They have gone at each other 145 times. The 49ers have owned the Rams in the past six meetings, and have a 75-67-3 mark against their California rivals. Until Sunday, only one of all those confrontations was in the postseason — the Niners won that one, too, 30-3

By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals’ patience with coach Zac Taylor has paid off. The third-year coach turned it around after two dismal seasons and now has the Bengals one step from the Super Bowl. The first-time head coach was 6-25-1 in his first two years, and owner Mike

By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer Talk about newcomers versus the tried and true. Here come the Cincinnati Bengals, who had lost eight straight playoff games since their last victory 31 years ago. Awaiting them at loud, sometimes intimidating Arrowhead Stadium will be the Kansas City Chiefs, in their fourth consecutive AFC championship game

By The Associated Press The ECHL has suspended Jacob Panetta for the rest of this season after the brother of longtime NHL defenseman P.K. Subban accused the Jacksonville defenseman of making “monkey gestures” in his direction. Panetta was released by his team Sunday, a day after his actions toward Subban, who is Black. Panetta said

By The Associated Press Nantes hosts Brest for a place in the quarterfinals of the French Cup. It could be a close contest with the mid-table sides evenly matched in the league and separated by just four points. Nantes is among France’s most storied clubs with eight league titles and three French Cups. The last

OSLO, Norway (AP) — A coronavirus outbreak is spreading inside the powerful Norwegian cross-country skiing team, with double Olympic champion Simen Hegstad Kruger becoming the third skier in two days to test positive ahead of the Beijing Games. Norway’s team doctor told a news conference that Hegstad Kruger was self isolating and was not showing