YSU’s Gebhardt receives HL award

For his combined success on the baseball field and in the classroom, Youngstown State’s Braden Gebhardt was named the Horizon League Male Spring Scholar-Athlete of the Season, the conference office announced on Wednesday.

Gebhardt, Howland native, became the second YSU men’s student-athlete to be named a Scholar-Athlete of the Season. He is just the fourth Penguin across all sports to earn the distinction from the Horizon League, joining volleyball standout Abbie Householder (Fall 2025), cross country and track and field runner Morgan Cole (Fall 2022 and Winter 2023) and track and field standout Lukas Lang (Winter 2026).

The Horizon League recognizes student-athletes at the conclusion of each of its three athletic seasons as the Scholar-Athlete of the Season. Honorees are selected based on a combination of athletic and academic achievement by the League’s faculty athletics representatives. To be eligible for Scholar-Athlete of the Season consideration, a student-athlete must be a member of that sport’s current-year all-academic team.

Gebhardt became the sixth player in YSU history and the first since Matt Brosky in 2022 to be named Horizon League Pitcher of the Year in 2026. He posted a 5-4 record, a 3.19 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 87.1 innings pitched while matching the single-season school record with 15 starts on the mound in route to First-Team All-Horizon League honors. Gebhardt was named the Horizon League’s Pitcher of the Week a record six times during the 2026 season, and he was named as one of 43 semifinalists for the 2026 College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award on April 22. The senior southpaw led the Horizon League in strikeouts, ERA and innings pitched. Following the 2026 season, Gebhardt was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region Second Team.

Gebhardt was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Baseball Team for the third straight season to become just the second three-time honoree in program history. He is the first Penguin to earn Academic All-District honors three times since Josh Page from 2006-08. Gebhardt maintained a 3.95 GPA as a marketing major, and he graduated from YSU this past spring with his bachelor’s degree. He also earned a spot on the Horizon League All-Academic Team for the third consecutive campaign in 2026.

UC denies knowing Sorsby gambled

CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati athletic department disputes a claim from Brendan Sorsby’s agent, who says the school knew about the quarterback’s gambling and didn’t do anything about it.

“All of our student-athletes receive extensive gambling education multiple times throughout the year, and we would never knowingly play an athlete who violated NCAA sports wagering regulations,” the school’s athletic department said in a statement Wednesday. “If we ever became aware of impermissible wagering, we would report to the NCAA and comply with sanctions.”

Sorsby’s agent, Ron Slavin, made the claims in an interview with KRLD radio in Dallas.

The NCAA banished Sorsby from competition for gambling activity that included wagers on his own team while on the roster at Indiana in 2022 and betting on pro sports. He dropped his unprecedented legal battle to play for Texas Tech this year.

Sorsby declared for the NFL supplemental draft Tuesday and has until Monday to file. His attempt to speed up his professional career leans heavily on a rarely used offseason process designed for prospects not eligible for the league’s primary draft.

Sorsby spent a month in a residential treatment program for a diagnosed addiction. Then he sued the NCAA and gained a court-ordered reinstatement that prompted nationwide backlash toward Texas Tech.

He is tentatively planning to work out for NFL teams on July 10 at a Dallas-area high school, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the process for conducting the supplemental draft wasn’t complete.

The University of Cincinnati is suing Sorsby, accusing him of breaching his name, image and likeness contract following his transfer to Texas Tech. The university filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in February.

Slavin has said pursuing legal action against his client is misguided and that Sorsby intends to fight the lawsuit and any resulting damages.

Jags make Matiscik highest-paid LS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville’s Ross Matiscik is now the NFL’s highest-paid long snapper.

Matiscik, who is originally from Youngstown before moving to Texas, signed a two-year, $3.8 million contract extension with the Jaguars on Wednesday, his agency, Sportstars NYC, confirmed.

Matiscik, 29, has spent six seasons with Jacksonville and played 101 games after signing with the team as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Baylor in 2020. Matiscik has earned All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors in each of the past three seasons. He had been entering the final year of his contract, which was set to pay him $1.2 million in 2026.

“Ross’ consistency and ability to get down the field and make plays on special teams gives us an edge in that phase of the game,” Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said. “He has played at an elite level for several seasons and is at the top of the league at what he does.”

Since entering the league, Matiscik’s 22 special teams tackles are tied for the most in the NFL at his position.

Nike to release Clark’s ‘Caitlin 1’ shoe

Caitlin Clark can check another “must-have” item off her list in her rise to one of the biggest stars in women’s basketball: a signature shoe.

Nike announced on Wednesday that it is releasing the “Caitlin 1” this fall.

“Coming to a logo near you,” the sportswear giant posted, a nod to Clark’s penchant for taking 3-pointers from near where the logos sit at midcourt in most WNBA arenas. The shoe, which was showcased in racer blue in the promo launch and features Clark’s initials on the tongue, will retail for $140.

Clark, who is averaging 20.4 points and a WNBA-leading 8.3 assists for Indiana, is the latest female baller to have a shoe designed in her honor.

Other WNBA stars to have their own shoe include four-time MVP A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu.