Sports

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban state sports officials are denouncing a plan by baseball players who left the island to play in the Major Leagues to field their own team in the next World Baseball Classic. The president of the Cuban Baseball Federation on Tuesday accused the group of trying to usurp Cuba’s representation in the

By STEPHEN WHYNO and JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writers The Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association has decided to break off talks with the rival Premier Hockey Federation. Representatives from the PWHPA and PHF met in March at the request of the NHL. The NHL had hoped the discussions would thaw relations between the sides and

By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pirates’ streak of last-place finishes did not deter Ke’Bryan Hayes from making a long-term commitment, The 25-year-old third baseman’s $70 million, eight-year contract was announced before Pittsburgh’s home opener against the Chicago Cubs. Hayes, a son of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes and a first-round pick

LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA’s Peyton Watson is entering the NBA draft and hiring an agent after one season in Westwood. The move officially ends his college eligibility. Watson announced his decision on his social media accounts. The guard-forward from Long Beach averaged 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds while playing nearly 13 minutes per game.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Former Ohio point guard Mark Sears has transferred to Alabama after averaging nearly 20 points a game last season. Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats announced the signing of Sears. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder was a two-time All-Mid-American Conference performer who was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award given to the nation’s

By JACOB RICHMAN and ALEXANDRA GOPIN / Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Fifty years after Congress passed Title IX, girls are stuck in a system that continues to favor boys in high school sports. An investigation by the Shirley Povich Center for Sports

By ASHKAN MOTAMEDI / Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Danielle Ellis and her softball teammate Sydney Prenatt were sitting in the senior government class in Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, California, when a lightbulb went off. The teacher was talking about

By KARA NEWHOUSE / Howard Center for Investigative Journalism Howard Center for Investigative Journalism COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — An Ipsos poll shows that 50 years after Title IX was passed to ensure gender equity in education that students ages 12-17 and their parents know little about the law. The poll was done for the

By BARBARA SURK Associated Press MONACO (AP) — Novak Djokovic opened his clay-court season with a surprising loss to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday. Davidovich Fokina stunned the top-ranked Serb 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1 in the second round to hand Djokovic another setback as he tries to move on from

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU’s most decorated female student-athlete will become the first in school history to get her own statue. LSU announced Monday that women’s basketball legend Seimone Augustus’ statue will stand outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and join the likenesses of Pete Maravich, Bob Pettit and Shaquille O’Neal as former Tiger

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer New Duke coach Jon Scheyer has promoted former Blue Devils player Amile Jefferson to serve as an assistant coach. The school announced the hiring Tuesday. Jefferson, who turns 29 next month, worked as director of player development in Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski’s final season. He returned to Duke

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission saying it found evidence the NFL’s Washington Commanders engaged in potentially unlawful financial conduct. The committee says the team withheld ticket revenue from visiting teams and refundable ticket deposits from season-ticket holders. The