The Washington Mystics are parting ways with coach Eric Thibault and general manager Mike Thibault, the franchise announced Wednesday.

Eric Thibault is the fifth WNBA coach to be let go this offseason, joining Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles. He took over for his father after the 2022 season. The younger Thibault spent 10 years as an assistant coach with the Mystics, including four as associate head coach.

The Mystics finished this season 14-26, just missing the playoffs. Washington started the year with 12 straight losses and dealt with injuries to Shakira Austin and Brittney Sykes. The team also underwent major changes this offseason with Elena Delle Donne sitting out and Natasha Cloud leaving for Phoenix.

“After extensive reflection and conversation, we have decided we are at a point in our competitive and evolutionary cycle to turn the team over to new leadership with a renewed vision to carve our path into the future of WNBA basketball,” team president Michael Winger said. “Coach Mike elevated the Mystics program to its proud status as a league leader in innovation, the standard bearer in player care, and a model franchise.”

Mike Thibault came to the franchise in 2012 as both the GM and coach, leading the team to its first title in 2019. The Mystics made eight postseason appearances and he earned the league’s WNBA Coach of the Year award in 2013. He has the most wins in WNBA history with 379.

Auto racing

Correcting the record >> NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison finally got his victory from Bowman Gray Stadium, more than five decades after he took the checkered flag and the trophy.

NASCAR on Wednesday formally recognized the 86-year-old Allison as the winner of the Meyers Brothers Memorial at the track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Aug. 6, 1971. The sanctioning body updated the record books to reflect it, giving Allison 85 wins and moving him into fourth on the all-time wins list and out of a tie with Darrell Waltrip.

Horse racing

Breeders’ cup field >> Fierceness, Ireland-based City of Troy and Forever Young from Japan are among a full field of 14 horses for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic next month at Del Mar.

The Classic field was among the 212 horses, including a record 80 from overseas, pre-entered Wednesday for the more than $34 million, 14-race world championships on Nov. 1-2 at the seaside track north of San Diego. Del Mar is hosting for a third time in the event’s 41-year history.

Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan isn’t running and neither is Belmont winner Dornoch, who has been retired. Preakness winner Seize the Grey is pre-entered in the $1 million Dirt Mile.

A record five continents — Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America — will be represented by 80 horses, besting the old mark of 60 foreign horses in 2023.

Tennis

pulling out of paris >> Defending champion Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Paris Masters, organizers said Wednesday.

The 37-year-old Djokovic played at the Six Kings Slam exhibition last week. Organizers did not give a reason for Djokovic’s withdrawal.

The former top-ranked player said in an Instagram post he is “sorry to everyone who was hoping to see me play there.”

“I have a lot of great memories winning seven titles there and hope to be back with you next year,” he added.

fine aged swiss >> Stan Wawrinka became the oldest match-winner in the Swiss Indoors tournament history when he outlasted Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 on Wednesday.

Playing in front of a home crowd, the 39-year-old Wawrinka earned his first win over Mannarino after having lost to the Frenchman three times.

Wawrinka will next face 22-year-old Ben Shelton for a spot in the quarterfinals.

No. 3 on to quarters >> Alexander Zverev reached the quarterfinals at the Erste Bank Open by beating Marcos Giron 6-2, 7-5 on Wednesday for the German’s personal best 61st win of the year.

The third-ranked Zverev, who is the top seed at the indoor hard-court tournament in the Austrian capital, will next face Lorenzo Musetti, who advanced when Gael Monfils withdrew from their second-round match because of an illness.