Martín Sampedro Wins Individual Title, Stanford Earns No. 1 Seed in Match Play - Atlantic Coast Conference Stanford junior Paula Martín Sampedro claimed the individual title at the 2026 ACC Women’s Golf Championship, finishing with a total of 14-under par (202) to secure medalist honors. This victory marks the second consecutive win for a Stanford player in the conference’s individual championship, following a similar achievement by a previous Cardinal athlete. The win propelled Stanford to the No. 1 seed in the upcoming match play tournament, granting the team a bye into the semifinals. The match play semifinals are set to begin on Saturday, April 18, at 1:30 p.m. ET, broadcast live on ACC Network Extra. Stanford’s team performance was equally impressive, finishing with a combined score of 33-under par (831), breaking the tournament’s 54-hole team record by six strokes. This surpassed the previous record set by Virginia in 2015 and Stanford’s own mark from the previous year. The Cardinal’s dominance was evident as they finished 11 strokes ahead of second-place SMU, both teams earning byes into the semifinals. Wake Forest secured the third seed with a total of 850 (-14), while North Carolina claimed the final match play spot by edging out Clemson by a single stroke. The match play bracket will see Wake Forest face North Carolina in the semifinals, with the winner advancing to face Stanford. Wake Forest’s Chloe Kovelesky finished third in the individual standings at 9-under par (207), contributing significantly to the team’s success. Duke, ranked fourth at 851 (-13), will face NC State, which finished fifth at 852 (-12). This matchup will determine the final two teams to compete against Stanford in the semifinals.#atlantic_coast_conference #stanford #paula_martn_sampedro #acc_network_extra #wake_forest
2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament Bracket: Projected Field Of 64 (March 26) The NCAA Baseball Tournament’s projected Field of 64 for 2026 reflects a marked contrast to the instability that defined the early part of last season. While the top of the Baseball America Top 25 rankings has remained relatively stable this year, with fewer dramatic shifts and less week-to-week volatility compared to 2025, the tournament’s seeding structure has undergone a significant update. The NCAA selection committee now ranks the top 32 teams instead of the previous 16 regional hosts, altering how teams are placed in the bracket. Seeds 1 through 16 will host regional tournaments, while seeds 17 through 32 will be distributed into brackets based on their rankings: teams 29-32 will face the top four national seeds, 25-28 will meet seeds 5-8, 21-24 will clash with seeds 9-12, and 17-20 will compete against seeds 13-16. This new format is reflected in the projected bracket, even if the committee does not publicly release its full two-seed rankings. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads the projected Field of 64 with 13 bids, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with 10, the Big 12 with 6, the Big Ten with 4, the Sun Belt with 4, Conference USA with 2, and the American Conference with 2. The bracket is divided into regional sites, with teams placed based on their projected seedings. For example, in Westwood, Calif., UCLA (Big Ten) is seeded No. 1, while Southern California (Big Ten) is seeded No. 16. Similarly, in Austin, Tex., Texas (SEC) is the No. 2 seed, and Ole Miss (SEC) is the No. 15 seed. The bracket spans multiple locations, including Atlanta, Ga., Auburn, Ala., and Charlottesville, Va.#big_ten #atlantic_coast_conference #ncaa_baseball_tournament #secur_conference #sun_belt
Speedy Claxton, Hofstra not backing down from chance to make March Madness noise: ‘Force to be reckoned with’ Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton is approaching March Madness with confidence, positioning his team as a contender capable of making a significant impact. The former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs emphasized that Hofstra is not merely seeking to participate but to compete at the highest level. “We’re not going there just to be happy we’re there … we’re trying to win,” Claxton said, reflecting his team’s determination. The 24-10 Long Island squad has emerged as a formidable force, having challenged established programs in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and secured a hard-fought CAA championship. Their victories over Pittsburgh and Syracuse, including a 70-69 upset of the Syracuse Orange, underscore their growing reputation. Claxton described Hofstra as a “force to be reckoned with,” a label that aligns with their recent success and the expectations now placed on them. Hofstra’s journey to this moment has been long and arduous, marked by a 25-year drought since their last March Madness appearance. The program faced numerous challenges, including a global pandemic that canceled the 2020 tournament before Hofstra could qualify. Despite setbacks, the team persevered, culminating in a historic 88-78 upset over UCLA in 2020. However, the pandemic disrupted their path to the NCAA Tournament, leaving them without the chance to experience the spotlight. Claxton, who played for Hofstra under coach Jay Wright in 2000, has been instrumental in rebuilding the program since taking over in 2021. His mentorship under former coach Joe Mihalich provided a foundation for success, and the team has since made strides, including an overtime victory over Rutgers in the 2023 NIT.#atlantic_coast_conference #pittsburgh #speedy_claxton #hofstra #caa_championship
Boston College Fires Men’s Basketball Coach Earl Grant Boston College has fired men’s basketball coach Earl Grant after five seasons in which the Eagles never made the NCAA tournament and finished above .500 just once. Grant, who took over the program in 2021 following Jim Christian’s departure, compiled a 72-92 overall record and a 30-67 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference during his tenure. The decision marks the longest NCAA tournament drought in program history, as BC has not secured a bid since Al Skinner’s teams earned seven appearances between 2001 and 2009—a span that included four head coaches, five athletic directors, and two conference transitions. Grant, 49, previously led the College of Charleston to five consecutive winning seasons, including a 2018 campaign that earned him the Colonial Athletic Association’s coach of the year award and a berth in the NCAA tournament. At Boston College, he showed gradual improvement in his first three years, guiding the Eagles to 13, then 16, and finally 20 victories before the team’s performance declined. Over the past two seasons, BC won just seven ACC games combined and missed the 15-team conference tournament in back-to-back years. The program’s struggles extend beyond basketball. Boston College, one of the early schools to transition leagues during the NCAA’s conference realignment era, left the Big East for the ACC in 2005. Since joining the conference, the Eagles have posted a 305-368 record, the worst in ACC history. The women’s basketball team, which recently fired coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee, has also failed to reach the NCAA tournament since 2006, its first year in the ACC. Meanwhile, the football team went 2-10 this season, winning just one conference game and securing only one bowl victory in a decade.#ncaa_tournament #boston_college #earl_grant #atlantic_coast_conference #college_of_charleston
Boston College Fires Men's Basketball Coach Earl Grant Boston College has fired its men’s basketball coach, Earl Grant, marking the end of his five-year tenure at the school. The decision was announced on Sunday, with the athletic department expressing gratitude for Grant’s contributions while stating the institution has “greater expectations” for the basketball program. Grant, who had three seasons remaining on his contract, had it extended through the 2028-29 season. The firing comes as Boston College finished the season with an 11-20 record overall and a 4-14 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play. The Eagles placed ahead of only the last-place Yellow Jackets (11-20, 2-16) in the conference standings. Grant’s five-year record at Boston College includes a total of 72 wins and 92 losses, with the team posting a winning season in just one of those campaigns. Boston College is the second ACC team to dismiss its head coach this week, following Georgia Tech’s decision to fire Damon Stoudamire. The Eagles’ performance this season fell short of expectations, prompting the school to initiate a national search for a new head coach. Athletic director Blake James emphasized the institution’s commitment to competing at the highest level of college basketball and providing a “world-class experience” for student-athletes. James stated that the search for a replacement will begin immediately, with the new coach expected to align with the school’s vision of excellence both on and off the court. The decision to part ways with Grant reflects the pressures faced by collegiate athletic programs to balance competitive success with academic and institutional goals. Grant’s departure underscores the challenges of maintaining a winning culture in a highly competitive conference.#georgia_tech #boston_college #earl_grant #atlantic_coast_conference #blake_james
