Sports

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona has cruised into the last four of the Women’s Champions League for the fifth straight year by routing Roma 5-1 in the second leg of the quarterfinals. Barcelona advanced 6-1 on aggregate and will face defending champion Lyon or Chelsea in April’s semifinals. Fridolina Rolfö scored twice in the first

By The Associated Press Major League Baseball has introduced a slate of new rules for the 2023 season. The pitch clock aims to speed the pace of play by eliminating down time between pitches. Pitchers may only disengage from the pitching rubber — either to call timeout or to attempt a pickoff throw — twice

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer PHOENIX (AP) — The NFL took another step at the owners meetings to increase diversity throughout the league while continuing to face criticism and a lawsuit for lack of representation among head coaches. Each team is now required to have a person in charge of diversity, equity and

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State sophomore guard Terquavion Smith says he’s entering the NBA draft. Smith announced his decision in a social-media post, saying he was eager to pursue “a lifelong dream of mine.” The 6-foot-4 guard was a first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference pick for The Associated Press after averaging a team-best 17.9

By PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Brea Beal is not just South Carolina’s X factor in one of the country’s best defenses but also a four-year lesson in sacrifice and reinvention that may add a second straight NCAA title to her resume. Beal is generally third when most think of the

MIAMI (AP) — The defending champion United States will play Mexico in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League on June 15. The winner advances to the final against Canada or Panama on June 18, also in Las Vegas. The semifinal match kicks off at 10 p.m. EDT, following the Canada-Panama match. No. 13 U.S.

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Jim Nantz, Tim Cluess, Joe Mihalich and Gail Marquis are this year’s recipients of the Joe Lapchick Character Award. Nantz has been the voice of March Madness since 1986 when he started calling early-round games for CBS. He became the Final Four studio host for five years before taking

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals owner John Sherman believes that plans are progressing toward a new downtown ballpark, which would replace the nearly 50-year-old Kauffman Stadium as early as 2027 or 2028. The club has had dialogue with fans, business leaders and politicians about potential sites, though none

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS Associated Press NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus’ justice minister has unveiled a host of measures to combat fan violence at sporting events, including pre-game drug and alcohol tests, increased body searches and tougher policing. The measures come days after opposing fans at a basketball playoff game between rivals Anorthosis and Apollon fought

By KEN POWTAK Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — When the Nashville Predators’ team flight took off for Boston, defenseman Ryan McDonagh wasn’t aboard. He stayed home Monday, to be with his three young daughters in the shaken community. A day after a fatal grade school shooting in Nashville left six dead, including three children, McDonagh

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer Adidas is withdrawing its challenge to a Black Lives Matter trademark application featuring three parallel stripes, two days after it contested the image with the U.S. Trademark Office.  On Monday Adidas submitted a notice of opposition with the office, saying in the filing that it took issue with Black

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — The coach of Sweden’s men’s soccer team has held clear-the-air talks with a TV commentator after they became engaged in an argument on air following a European Championship qualifier. What began as a discussion between coach Janne Andersson and pundit Bojan Djordjic about the playing time of midfielder Jesper Karlsson after

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Two games into qualifying and both France and England appear to be shoo-ins to reach neat year’s European Championship. But it’s already looking like a bumpy road to Euro 2024 in Germany for Norway and Erling Haaland. France and England delivered the standout displays over the

By PAT EATON-ROBB AP Sports Writer STORRS, Conn. (AP) — While three teams are looking for their first NCAA title, UConn is pursuing a return to glory. The Huskies are the biggest name left playing basketball this season. They made the Final Four as a No. 4 seed, joining fifth-seeded Miami and San Diego State

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Indonesia was stripped of hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup on Wednesday only eight weeks before the start of the tournament amid political turmoil regarding Israel’s participation. FIFA said Indonesia was removed from staging the 24-team tournament scheduled to start on May 20 “due to

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer HOUSTON (AP) — It wasn’t so much that social media was criticizing his son. That happens sometimes — especially after a loss like THAT. But when a post came up suggesting Terrance Williams II, a junior forward for Michigan, be left for dead in a ditch, his dad decided

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Women’s basketball seems to have found a winner with its new Sweet 16 format in March Madness and the timing couldn’t be better with looming TV contract negotiations on the horizon. There were record-setting attendance at the two sites — Greenville, South Carolina and Seattle — along with record

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Major League Baseball’s new rules package is set for its regular-season debut Thursday when all 30 teams play their first game. It’ll be the first time many fans see the sport’s sizable list of rules changes, including a pitch clock, limits on infield shifts and bigger