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UCLA junior point guard Kiki Rice has been named to the 2024–25 Academic All-America Division I Women’s Basketball First Team, the College Sports Communicators announced Wednesday.
The honor places Rice among the most accomplished student-athletes in the country, recognizing her excellence in both academics and athletics.
A communications major, with a minor in education and a 3.85 GPA, Rice continues to shine at the number one public university in the nation.
She is one of just six Division I women’s basketball players to earn First Team recognition this year, a distinction that reflects her dedication in the classroom and her consistency as a leader.
Rice was also awarded the NCAA Elite 90 trophy for the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. The Elite 90 is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 national championships.
Rice's selection highlights the level of preparation and discipline she brings to every aspect of her experience as a student-athlete.
On the court, Rice played a central role in guiding UCLA to its first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance. She averaged 12.9 points, 5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game, serving as the primary facilitator for one of the most balanced and competitive teams in the country.
Rice's leadership and composure were crucial throughout a season in which the Bruins remained among the nation’s top teams from start to finish.
Rice joins a strong group of honorees that includes Sarah Ashlee Barker of Alabama, Raegan Beers of Oklahoma, Katie Dinnebier of Drake, Peyton McDaniel of James Madison and Kiki Iriafen of USC. Iriafen was named the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.
Rice becomes the first UCLA women’s basketball player to earn Academic All-America honors since Japreece Dean in 2019 and is among a very small group in program history to receive First Team recognition.
As she enters her senior year in Westwood, Rice continues to raise the bar. Her achievements reflect not only individual excellence but also the culture of high standards that has defined UCLA women’s basketball for generations.
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Steelers Make Asante Samuel Jr. Announcement Everyone Was Waiting For
The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding a player many have been waiting for just before thier Week 13 matchup with the Buffalo Bills. The team announced that practice squad cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. will be added to the active/inactive list for the game. Samuel Jr. signed to the Steelers' practice squad two weeks ago after being medically cleared to return from spinal contusion surgery. Samuel Jr. played four games last season before being shut down and will now be active for the first time since. " He's been here for a short period of time. He's been working his tail off to not only get in football condition but learn what to do. It's been a good endeavor thus far, but it's too early in the week for me to speculate in that regard," head coach Mike Tomlin told Steelers On SI about Samuel's progression. The Steelers are banged up at cornerback as Darius Slay returned last week from a concussion but played limited snaps and Joey Porter Jr. spent the week dealing with a hip injury that he suffered in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears. James Pierre was also dealing with injuries throughout last week's game. Porter Jr. and Slay are both cleared to play against the Bills but Pittsburgh is adding to their room to ensure that they have quality depth at the position. Since losing DeShon Elliott, the Steelers have moved Jalen Ramsey to safety full-time, leaving Slay, Porter Jr. and Pierre as their outside options with Brandin Echols working the slot. Samuel Jr. comes in to provide added depth on the inside and another notable name to the group. How Will Steelers Use Samuel Jr.? The Steelers could have Samuel Jr. step into a starting role on the inside but will likely have the veteran play behind Echols as the nickelback. Still working his way back into football shape, the limited role will allow Pittsburgh to see where he's at health and stamina wise and adjust accordingly moving forward. Samuel Jr. will likely also play special teams throughout the game, getting to work into the mix with Danny Smith's group as well. With Samuel Jr. being added to the active/inactive roster, he will revert back to the practice squad after the game without having to pass through waivers. As a former second-round pick with plenty of starting experience in the NFL, Pittsburgh will likely need to sign Samuel Jr. to the active roster at some point if they decide to continue using him on defense. Otherwise, other teams will come calling to poach him from the practice squad. Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Pittsburgh Steelers
Connor McDavid made an egregious mistake with Oilers
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid struggled to find the words to describe the team’s 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. The decision dropped the Oilers’ record to 10-10-5 for the season, and McDavid looked defeated during his postgame interview. The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Oilers. Why did Connor McDavid stay? The Oilers are grappling with the same issues that have plagued them since McDavid joined the NHL in the fall of 2015. Edmonton’s secondary offensive support for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is minimal, and their goaltending remains a significant concern. Considering the Oilers have faced these problems for so long, it makes one wonder why a generational talent like McDavid chose to sign on for two more years of this, especially given the bargain he struck when he signed for just $12.5M a season. McDavid’s choice to sign with Edmonton before even considering free agency might become one of the biggest “what-ifs” in NHL history. However, McDavid opted for stability in a familiar market, with a team that has been competitive for most of his NHL career. Ultimately, McDavid decided to stay loyal to the Oilers, but the two-year term seemed like a warning shot to Edmonton. So far, that warning appears to have fallen on deaf ears. The timing of McDavid’s extension was quite unusual. The superstar had a clear route to unrestricted free agency, which could have been one of the most incredible stories in NHL history if it had come to pass. McDavid had the chance to be the highest-profile player in NHL history to reach free agency since Wayne Gretzky in 1996. He held leverage against the Oilers and could have waited out the season, sparking a bidding war for his services. This would have boosted his star power and changed what a superstar’s career could look like. Instead, McDavid chose familiarity, even though the timing of his decision wasn’t convenient. Connor McDavid's decision to re-sign could be costly McDavid’s signing has delayed his free agency by 24 months, and some people dismiss this decision by arguing that McDavid will still get paid and reach free agency after the salary cap has significantly increased. While both points have some truth, the counterargument is compelling. Instead of becoming a free agent at 29, McDavid will do so at 31. It might seem minor, but many NHLers see their skills decline after 30. Another factor is that when McDavid finally signs, the new CBA rules on contract length will apply, meaning the maximum deal with his current team will be seven years, and he’ll only be able to land six years on the open market. Although this one-year reduction isn’t a significant issue, it will likely cause McDavid to leave money on the table on his next deal. In terms of missed opportunities, McDavid would have been the first generational player in NHL free agency to test the market in the prime of his career. While it would have made great theater for the NHL, it would also have been an opportunity for McDavid to shift the league’s balance of power toward whichever team he joined, while helping reset the salary structure for superstar NHLers. McDavid is clearly not a $12.5M player, but like many top NHLers before him, he took a "hometown discount" to stay with his current team. For some NHLers, taking that discount has worked out well (Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Nathan MacKinnon). Far more often, the savings from a reduced salary cap are wasted. Even Crosby, who traded tens of millions of dollars to play on consistently competitive teams, saw many of those seasons marred by costly mistakes on depth players with inflated cap hits (Jack Johnson, Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad). Crosby essentially subsidized poor roster decisions with his lower cap hits, and he would no doubt do so again, given the Stanley Cup championships Pittsburgh has won during his career. McDavid’s decision to re-sign essentially upholds the NHL’s long-standing tradition of superstars taking less money to stay with their team, and no doubt he did so while feeling loyalty to the Oilers fans who have endured the same heartbreaks he has. The reality is, McDavid has gone through a decade without winning the Cup, despite multiple front-office makeovers, coaching changes, cap mismanagement and an inability to surround him with real depth. And while the depth has improved over the last few years, the “we’re almost there” mentality won’t put a Stanley Cup ring on McDavid’s finger. All of this to say, McDavid probably owed it to himself to explore free agency at least to see if a team with a more precise winning blueprint could emerge, giving him a better chance at a title. July 1, 2026, would have offered a window into that, but McDavid chose not to look, and it could come back to haunt him if he never wins a championship. McDavid had all the leverage, which makes his decision baffling, because exploring free agency didn’t require him to leave Edmonton. He could have casually explored his options, had discussions with teams, listened to their pitches and then re-signed with Edmonton—something that might have pushed the Oilers to step up their game and get creative with their roster. But the Oilers didn’t need to worry about losing McDavid, and it seems this has led to some apathy across the organization, as they don’t seem to be a group hungry to win. Generational players across all leagues have frequently tested free agency. NBA superstar LeBron James famously took his talents from Cleveland to Miami nearly 15 years ago, and MLB superstar pitcher Paul Skenes will likely follow suit one day. It’s common, and not all players do it because they’re leaving; they do it for a variety of reasons. They can because the process gives them power, and it’s one of the few times they get to fully control their own destiny. McDavid could have taken a different route, but he didn’t. While he’s given the team a short leash to build a winner around him, he could have kept that leash even tighter, which might have pushed the Oilers to solve their roster issues more quickly. It could also have generated a story that might have become a sensation across all platforms — a broader narrative focusing on a star-driven tale on a smaller scale than MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani’s. The buzz would have been enormous and arguably the biggest NHL story since the Oilers traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Moving on could have been a great branding opportunity for McDavid to become even more mainstream, but he chose the safe, comfortable route in Edmonton. It’s a loyalty decision, and it’s completely understandable given that the Oilers have been close to a title in the last two years and he has built a bond with his teammates. For his legacy, though, he might need to chase greatness in a different city in the next two-and-a-half years.
Arch Manning has defining performance of college career in win over Texas A&M
In the biggest game of his college football career so far, Texas quarterback Arch Manning grew into the superstar he was touted to be with the nation watching. No. 16 Texas (9-3) earned a huge rivalry win over No. 3 Texas A M (11-1) in Austin on Friday in large part thanks to the second-half play of Manning. Manning was only 8-of-21 for 51 yards in the first half, and the Longhorns trailed the Aggies 10-3 at the break. Texas had an opportunity to kick a field goal and cut the A M lead to four at the break, but an intentional grounding penalty incurred by Manning took that opportunity away. Arch Manning lights up the scoreboard in second half But with the help of a Texas defense that rattled TAMU QB Marcel Reed in the second half, Manning and the 'Horns scored 24 second-half points in a winning effort. Texas' first drive of the second half netted three points, but a strike from Manning to Ryan Wingo on the next UT possession gave the Longhorns the lead and gave Manning some confidence. After another defensive stop, Manning led a six-play, 83-yard TD drive to put the Longhorns up by 10. After Texas A M responded, Manning did as well, running away from the Aggie defense on a 35-yard scoring sprint that ultimately served as the deciding blow. In the end, it was Reed — the more experienced and consistent of the two quarterbacks — that made the back-breaking mistake, throwing an interception deep in Texas territory on a drive that looked poised to end with points. The victory was a team effort for Texas, which will await Saturday's slate of games and beg for several playoff contenders to lose to have a shot at the 12-team playoff field. But it was Manning who would be the face of it. Manning went 14-of-29 for 179 yards and a touchdown through the air and added 53 yards and a score on the ground. The win serves as the biggest moment of Manning's young UT career. Going into Saturday, Manning's sophomore season was marred by inconsistent play. A career day against Arkansas was contrasted by middling performances against Ohio State and Georgia. Standout efforts in wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma were overshadowed by no-shows against UTEP, Kentucky and Florida. But Manning rose to his greatest challenge on Saturday, delivering a win in a rivalry game that nobody in the state of Texas — whether they wear burnt orange or maroon — will soon forget.
Canucks trade rumours: Bruins have reportedly checked in on both Sherwood and Garland
Ever since the Vancouver Canucks sent a memo to the 31 other NHL teams this week, stating they’d be willing to listen to trade offers for their veteran players, the rumour mill has certainly heated up. Further, Jim Rutherford going on the record to specify that the Canucks would like to trade their pending UFAs sooner, rather than later, has only amplified those rumours. It’s also made Kiefer Sherwood the most-talked-about name among Canucks likely to be moved this season. Sherwood is in the final year of a two-year deal that carries a $1.5 million cap hit. If the Canucks were to retain on Sherwood’s contract, giving the acquiring team a $750,000 cap hit to work with, they should be able to maximize their return for Sherwood, who turns 31 in March. We wrote about this earlier this week. What we haven’t written all that much about is another way the Canucks could beef up the return they got on a Sherwood trade — attaching Conor Garland to him. While Garland’s name was brought up in trade rumours a week or so ago, opinions are mixed on whether the Canucks would consider such a move at this juncture. Garland signed a six-year extension with a more-than-workable annual average value of $6 million this past offseason, but doesn’t have any trade protection until that contract kicks in on July 1st, 2026. That means, in theory, that the Canucks could trade him, but they’d likely need to be blown away by an opposing team’s offer to part ways with Garland. Could that team be the Boston Bruins? According to a report from veteran Bruins reporter Jimmy Murphy, the Bs have checked in with the Canucks on both Kiefer Sherwood and Conor Garland. Here is some of what he wrote: RG has learned through an NHL source close to the situation that two players Sweeney has recently inquired about are Canucks wingers Kiefer Sherwood and Conor Garland. “They have 100 percent called on both players,” the source said of the Bruins’ interest in Sherwood and Garland. “They want scoring and believe that with some more, this team can definitely stay in the race and make some noise.” …As for Garland, this is not the first time that Sweeney has expressed NHL trade interest in the 29-year-old Scituate, MA native. As reported by Boston Hockey Now leading into the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline, the Bruins looked into acquiring Garland, who the Canucks chose to keep for three more seasons and recently signed to a six-year, $36 million ($6M AAV) contract back on July 1. According to the same source, though, as the Bruins were told by the Canucks three years ago, Garland, 29, is not one of the players that Vancouver is looking to trade at this time. If Boston really is kicking tires on both Sherwood and Garland, it would be interesting to see what the Canucks might want back in return. The Bruins’ top five prospects, according to Daily Faceoff: James Hagens (likely off limits), Fraser Minten, Fabian Lysell, Dans Locmelis, and Dean Letourneau. How would you like to see the Canucks approach their upcoming decisions? Let us know in the comments section below!
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