AP National Sports

By HANK KURZ Jr. AP Sports Writer BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente hopes the Hokies can return to normal — both pre- and post-pandemic standards. The Hokies went 5-6 last year, a season when they often went to practice not knowing who would be available. They lost more than half their

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball’s spring training exhibition schedule will start on Feb. 25. That’s when the Boston Red Sox play Northeastern University, the Detroit Tigers meet Southeastern and the Minnesota Twins face the University of Minnesota. All 30 teams are scheduled to play the following day, when the Grapefruit League schedule starts

TURIN. Italy (AP) — Juventus has signed Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli from Sassuolo. The 23-year-old Locatelli joins initially on a two-year loan deal and the move will then be made permanent for a fee of up to 35.5 million euros. Locatelli was part of Italy’s European Championship winning squad. He was one of the best

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (AP) — The AIG Women’s British Open now has the largest purse in women’s golf. The R&A announced a prize fund of $5.8 million this week at Carnoustie, with the winner getting $870,000. Next year the prize money goes up to $6.8 million. That’s more than double the money from 2018 before AIG

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets owner Steven Cohen has criticized his team following its season-worst fifth straight loss, showing a side much like that of late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. “It’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive,” Cohen tweeted Wednesday, a day after a 3-2 loss at San Francisco.

ALBACETE, Spain (AP) — Jasper Philipsen has secured his second stage win at this year’s Spanish Vuelta, while Rein Taaramae lost the leader’s red jersey to Kenny Elissonde after crashing for the second straight day. Philipsen prevailed at the final sprint of the fifth stage, which finished in Albacete in southeastern Spain. Philipsen of Belgium

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer NEW YORK (AP) — A person with direct knowledge of the decision says New York Jets guard Alex Lewis is retiring from playing football. The 29-year-old Lewis last practiced on Aug. 5, when he came off the field with what coach Robert Saleh said was a head

NEW YORK (AP) — Two-time champion Venus Williams will be back at the U.S. Open after being given a wild card into the Grand Slam tournament. The 41-year-old Williams has won seven major titles including victories at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001. But with her current WTA ranking of No. 112, she has fallen

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Whenever new Chiefs wide receivers coach Joe Bleymaier needs to bounce some ideas off someone, all he needs to do is walk down the hall. That’s where he’ll find his predecessor, Greg Lewis, who now handles the running backs. It’s the kind of change

By JOHN RABY AP Sports Writer HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — The NCAA recently dropped its ban on athletes being able to earn money for their fame and celebrity. That has led to some of athletes cashing in on their creative side. Marshall offensive lineman Will Ulmer is playing guitar and singing country music at venues.

By GENE CHAMBERLAIN Associated Press LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears are without both of their top 2021 draft picks. Offensive tackle Teven Jenkins is having back surgery. The hope is to get him back sometime this season Quarterback Justin Fields has a groin injury and is being held out of practice. His

LONDON (AP) — Romelu Lukaku won’t need much time to readjust to the Premier League. The 28-year-old Belgium striker says he is ready to play Sunday against Arsenal less than a week after becoming Chelsea’s most expensive player. And he’ll wear the No. 9 shirt that became available when Tammy Abraham left for Roma. Lukaku

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has confirmed that its football program is under NCAA investigation. According to The Action Network, the Cornhuskers allegedly had analysts working in improper roles during games and practices and unauthorized off-campus workouts dating back a year. There is allegedly video footage confirming practice violations occurred in the presence of head

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer North Carolina State has a roster full of returning starters for the upcoming season. Coach Dave Doeren’s team will return eight offensive starters and 10 defensive starters. That group helped the Wolfpack overcome a four-win season in 2019 by winning eight games last season. Quarterback Devin Leary is returning

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Plenty of Miami players had decisions to make when last season came to a close, and the time had come to choose whether to pursue the NFL or remain with the Hurricanes for one more season. For some, it was not easy. And then

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — New starting quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei believes he’ll keep No. 3 Clemson on top as the Tigers try for a seventh straight Atlantic Coast Conference championship and College Football Playoff berth. Uiagalelei is a 6-foot-4, 250-pound sophomore who joined the Tigers last season to sit and

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer Tenth-ranked North Carolina faces big expectations in Year 3 of Mack Brown’s second stint coaching the Tar Heels. UNC is the preseason favorite to win the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division. The Tar Heels also have a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback in Sam Howell. The Tar Heels lost

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer Duke is trying to regroup from the worst season of David Cutcliffe’s tenure. The Blue Devils won just two games last season, including one in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cutcliffe has juggled coaching responsibilities for his 14th season. That includes taking play-calling duties off his plate. Duke will need

By JAKE SEINER AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel is one of several standout American women planning to run the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7. Fellow U.S. Olympians Aliphine Tuliamuk, Sally Kipyego and Emily Sisson also are in the women’s field announced Wednesday. So is 2018 Boston

NEW YORK (AP) — Defending champion Dominic Thiem has pulled out of the U.S. Open and says he will miss the rest of the year because of a right wrist injury. Thiem was hurt in June while playing in the Mallorca Open and said the pain returned last week after he hit a ball during