LEAWOOD, Kan. (AP) — For the first time in nearly two decades, the Super Bowl champion Chiefs will have a new punter. Identifying who that will be in the midst of a pandemic is no easy task. The Chiefs have signed Tyler Newsome and undrafted rookie Tommy Townsend to compete for the job. But with healthy players barred from the practice facility, the organization is relying on videos of their private workouts to keep tabs on the race for the job.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa women's volleyball program is on probation for one year and must vacate 33 wins over two seasons as part of its penalty for violations committed by former coach Bond Shymansky. The university’s athletic department also will pay a $5,000 fine to the NCAA as part of the negotiated resolution. Shymansky admitted making two cash payments totaling $2,000 to a prospective player during the summer of 2017. He was fired in June 2019. The 33 vacated wins came in matches in which the player appeared in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.
UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA Division I Council voted Wednesday to lift a moratorium on voluntary workouts by football and basketball players effective June 1 as a growing number of college leaders expressed confidence that fall sports will be possible in some form despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. A decision on other sports was pending. The decision clears the way for individual workouts by athletes, mostly on their own, subject to safety and health protocols decided by their schools or local health officials.
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Denny Hamlin became the winner of NASCAR’s first Wednesday race in 36 years when rain stopped the event with 20 laps remaining at Darlington. The Daytona 500 winner was out front but out of fresh tires and trying to hang on when he got unintended help from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch. The reigning Cup champion caused Chase Elliott to crash eight laps earlier to bring out the caution. A furious Elliott waited for Busch on the apron of the track and flipped Busch the middle finger as he passed.
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The NFL has conditionally reinstated Aldon Smith from an indefinite suspension for off-field issues, allowing the pass rusher to take part in team activities with the Dallas Cowboys. Smith will be able to participate in the Cowboys' virtual offseason program starting next week and can meet with teammates and coaches. He hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2015 and was signed to a one-year contract last month despite his uncertain playing status.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The head of the agency that oversees the Oakland Coliseum says the Athletics have informed him they had “no ability to pay” the annual $1.2 million rent on the facility. Henry Gardner tells the Bay Area News Group that the A’s say they’ve been unable to generate revenue because they haven’t used the Coliseum this season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gardner says the Coliseum is willing to negotiate and waive some items in the Athletics lease, but, “we can’t just say no rent.”
HOUSTON (AP) — Stephen F. Austin has received postseason bans and agreed to several sanctions including probation, scholarship reductions and the forfeiture of wins for having low scores on the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate. The sanctions will bar the football, men’s basketball and baseball teams from postseason tournaments for one year. The three teams were on a nationwide list released Tuesday that faced bans for posting a four-year score below 930. The men's basketball team had the lowest score of any team in Division I at 810.