Sports
Plenty of new faces as Utah, Alcorn State begin season
Feb 29, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) lays the ball up against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Even diehard fans of the Utah and Alcorn State men’s basketball teams might need to keep rosters handy as their programs tip off the season Monday night in Salt Lake City.
The host Runnin’ Utes and the Braves from Lorman, Miss., both underwent wholesale changes since they last stepped on the hardwood in March for a real game.
Utah’s new-look team features nine newcomers, including seven transfers: Miro Little (Baylor), Ezra Ausar (East Carolina), Brady Smith (Salt Lake Community College), Keanu Dawes (Rice), Mike Sharavjamts (San Francisco), Zach Keller (Wake Forest) and Mason Madsen (Boston College). They are joined by two international freshmen, Joul Karram of Israel and Ibi Traore of Mali.
Gabe Madsen, Lawson Lovering and Hunter Erickson highlight a group of eight returners for the Utes. Madsen (the twin brother of Mason) is the top returning scorer, having averaged 13.6 points while hitting a single-season school-record 105 3-pointers in 2023-24.
“These early-season games, we just have a lot of newness to us,” Utah coach Craig Smith said after his team defeated CSU Pueblo 98-62 in an exhibition on Oct. 29.
Erickson came off the bench to lead the Utes with 17 points, while Gabe Madsen, Little, Sharavjamts, Ausar and Lovering were in the starting lineup.
This will be Utah’s first season in the Big 12. Although the Utes finished tied for sixth in the Pac-12 and made an NIT appearance last year after going 22-15 overall, they were selected to finish last in their new 16-team conference this season.
Alcorn State, which finished second in the SWAC in 2023-24 after back-to-back regular-season championships, has even more new faces in its program.
“We’ve got a whole new team,” Alcorn State coach Landon Bussie said. “This is probably the most teaching I’ve had to do since I’ve been coaching. … I have 13 or 14 new guys.”
The Braves will lean on transfers Marcus Tankersley (Detroit Mercy), Willie Lightfoot (Odessa College) and Keionte Cornelius (Jackson State). Bussie described the 6-foot-4 Tankersley, who averaged 16.6 points last year, as “a guy who can play at a high level.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jerry Kelly ties Cameron Percy atop Senior Open leaderboard
Jerry Kelly drives on hole No. 4 during the Kaulig Companies PGA Championship Final Round, July 12, 2026, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. With a 2-under par third round, Jerry Kelly tied Cameron Percy atop the leaderboard of the ISPS Handa Senior Open in Perth, Scotland on Saturday.
For Kelly, it was his second straight round of 2-under par 68 en route to being at 8-under 202 through three rounds. Meanwhile, Percy had his roughest afternoon of the week with a 1-over 71. The Australian started the event red hot with a 7-under 63.
Peter Baker (67, 5-under 205) and South Africa’s Darren Fichardt (68, 4-under) resided in third and fourth place, respectively. Pat Perez (67), South African Ernie Els (71) and Austria’s Markus Brier are all tied for fifth at three-under par.
Despite his position, Kelly, 59, remains focused on the round ahead of him.
“Yeah, we scoreboard watch, but it’s still Saturday,” he said. “So, there’s no real emotions going on for that scoreboard. Just want to position yourself for tomorrow and you want to get the job done tomorrow and that’s the key.”
Nevertheless, he recognized how meaningful it would be to win a Senior Open Championship.
“Yeah, that would be one of the most special things at this stage of my career. Like any player, I might treasure that above all else.”
Tim Petrovic was the round leader, shooting a 4-under that vaulted him 46 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for 16th place.
Clark Dennis had a strong showing, as well. His 67 shot him up 21 spots to a tie for eighth place.
Charles Schwab Cup leader Stewart Cink (70) is tied for 31st at 3-over 213.
–Field Level Media
Sports
With 318th homer, Royals' Salvador Perez sets club mark
Jul 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) receives receives congratulations from teammates after he hits a home run in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Salvador Perez, who hit the first home run of his career at Comerica Park in Detroit in 2011, set the Kansas City Royals’ all-time record with No. 318 on Saturday at the same venue.
In the Royals’ 3-2 win over the Tigers, Perez tied the game at 2 in the seventh inning with a 401-foot solo shot to left off right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan.
Perez’s blast broke a tie with Hall of Famer George Brett, who hit 317 homers for Kansas City from 1973-93. Like Brett, Perez has played his entire career with the Royals since debuting in 2011.
The 36-year-old is batting .210 with 15 homers and 44 RBIs in 98 games this season. He is a nine-time All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove catcher.
In 1,805 games with Kansas City, Perez has hit .261 with 748 runs and 1,060 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rangers place 3B Josh Jung (calf) on 10-day IL
Jul 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) follows through on his single against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images The American League West-leading Texas Rangers placed starting third baseman Josh Jung on the 10-day injured list on Saturday — retroactive to Wednesday — with a left calf strain.
In a corresponding move, the Rangers recalled infielder Josh Smith from Triple-A Round Rock before Saturday’s home game against the second-place Seattle Mariners.
Jung, 28, exited Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox after three innings with a left calf issue and has not played since. In 92 games this season, the 2023 All-Star is hitting .294 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. He is eligible to return to the active roster on Aug. 1.
Texas’ first-round pick (No. 8 overall) in the 2019 MLB Draft, Jung has hit .264 with 58 home runs and 196 RBIs in 417 games with the Rangers.
Smith, 28, is in his third stint with the Rangers this season, batting .230 with one run and eight RBIs in 40 games. The versatile five-year veteran has played five positions in 2026, mainly seeing time at second base (34 games/30 starts).
In 496 games with Texas since being acquired from the New York Yankees in 2021, Smith has hit .236 with 32 homers and 136 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Jerry Kelly ties Cameron Percy atop Senior Open leaderboard
Get lifetime ad blocking for up to 9 devices for $11
