Watkins headlines women’s preseason All-America team

NEWS+NOTES

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Southern California guard JuJu Watkins reacts after a shot during a second-round game against Kansas in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Los Angeles on March 25. ASHLEY LANDIS — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE

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USC star JuJu Watkins and UConn’s Paige Bueckers headline The Associated Press preseason All-America women’s college basketball team released Tuesday that for the first time includes three sophomores in a clear sign of the young talent in a sport coming off a record year of fan interest.

Watkins and Bueckers were unanimous choices by the 30-member national media panel that selects the AP Top 25 each week. It’s the third appearance on the team for Bueckers, who also was a preseason choice in her sophomore season and last year.

The duo was joined by Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame, Madison Booker of Texas and Kiki Iriafen of USC. Watkins, Hidalgo and Booker are all second-year players.

Iriafen entered the transfer portal soon after Stanford Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer announced her retirement in April.

NFL

Rams receiver Nacua designated for return to practice >> Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua has been designated to return to practice after missing five games with a knee injury.

The Rams made the announcement about their Pro Bowl receiver Tuesday. Los Angeles hosts Minnesota on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.

Nacua was slowed in training camp by a knee injury this year. He caught four passes for 35 yards in the Rams’ season opener against the Lions before leaving the game in the first half with a knee injury, eventually going on injured reserve.

Browns place Watson on IR, sign QB Zappe >> The Cleveland Browns’ ever-changing quarterback situation is in motion again.

With starter Deshaun Watson out for the season because of a ruptured Achilles tendon and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson dealing with a finger injury on his throwing hand, Cleveland signed QB Bailey Zappe off Kansas City’s practice squad on Tuesday.

The team also placed Watson on injured reserve, a procedural but necessary move for the Browns, who have lost five straight in what has quickly gone from a promising season to a problematic one.

Craig, Anderson and Sharpe lead group of Seniors nominees >> Versatile running back Roger Craig, former MVP Ken Anderson and prolific receiver Sterling Sharpe are among the players who advanced to the next stage in the seniors category for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

The Hall released a list of 31 players cut down from 60 nominees made last month by a newly created Seniors Screening Committee.

A nine-person Senior Blue Ribbon Committee will be reducing the list to nine in a few weeks and then nominate three finalists to be considered by the full selection committee in early 2025. The three seniors will be grouped with one coach and one contributor with at least one and no more than three of those finalists getting in based on voting.

Buccaneers receivers get hit with injuries >> Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin will undergo surgery on a dislocated left ankle, a procedure that will likely sideline him for the rest of the regular season.

Coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday that the Bucs (4-3) — who also lost 10-time 1,000-yard receiver Mike Evans to a hamstring injury during Monday night’s 41-31 loss to visiting Baltimore — are holding out hope that Godwin might be able to return if Tampa Bay winds up playing deep into January.

Meanwhile, Evans is expected to be sidelined for at least the next three games against Atlanta, Kansas City and San Francisco before possibly returning after Tampa Bay’s bye week when the Bucs face the New York Giants on Nov. 24.

MLB

MLB wants Rays to STAY LOCAL AFTER DAMAGE TO TROP >> Major League Baseball hopes to find the Tampa Bay Rays a temporary home near their fanbase at least for the start of the 2025 season if the damage to Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton cannot be repaired in time.

The translucent fiberglass dome at the ballpark in St. Petersburg was shredded by Milton’s winds, leaving its immediate future in doubt. A number of spring training sites around the Tampa Bay area have been suggested as temporary homes, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said the league wants a location in the region if possible.

“We’re hopeful that we can figure out something in (the Tampa Bay area) for them and that the repairs can be done in a way that allows them to resume playing,” Manfred said on a recent episode of The Varsity podcast.

“The easiest thing is always to stay in the market where the clubs are anchored, if we can manage it,” he said.

Soccer

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE >> Vinicius Junior scored a hat trick as Real Madrid turned boos into cheers with a 5-2 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, while Paris Saint-Germain dropped more points.

Madrid was 2-0 down at halftime in a rematch of last season’s final but rallied with three goals from Vinicius Junior — who also scored in the final in May — and one each from Antonio Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez.

Coming off a loss to Arsenal in its last Champions League game, PSG managed to level the score with an Achraf Hakimi goal after going into the break a goal down against Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, but couldn’t find a second goal in a 1-1 draw.

Christian Pulisic scored direct from a corner as AC Milan beat Brugge 3-1 to end its wait for a Champions League win.

Messi Mania helps drive record growth for MLS >> Boosted by the Messi Effect, Major League Soccer hit record attendance marks and saw expanded sponsorship revenue this season.

With the conclusion of the regular season, MLS on Tuesday reported a 5% increase in attendance over last year with a league-wide total of 11.45 million. That’s a 14% increase over 2022.

Two matches exceeded 70,000 fans and five matches exceeded 50,000. In an April match at Arrowhead Stadium, there were 72,610 on hand to watch Lionel Messi and Inter Miami play Sporting Kansas City.