Colleges: UConn is heading back to the Big East. The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees on Wednesday accepted an invitation to move its basketball and most other athletic teams from the American Athletic Conference. University President Susan Herbst signed a contract with the Big East that includes a $3.5 million entry fee, and the teams are expected to begin play in the conference in the 2020-21 academic year. The school hasn’t indicated what it plans to do with its football program, a sport not offered by the Big East. But as part of the contract with the Big East, UConn has agreed not to seek football membership at this time in any Power Five conference. ... A person familiar with the decision says former Virginia Tech forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. will transfer to Florida and will be eligible to play immediately. Blackshear’s paperwork is expected to be completed this week, the person said. Florida beat out Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas A&M for Blackshear, who averaged 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds as a junior. Blackshear grew up in nearby Orlando and made an unofficial visit to the Gators three weeks ago.

NBA: Raptors center Marc Gasol accepted a one-year player option for next season. The value is approximately $25.6 million, marking the final year of a five-year contract Gasol signed with the Grizzlies in 2015. Had the 34-year-old Spaniard not accepted prior to Thursday, he would have become a free agent Sunday.

NHL: Roberto Luongo, the most popular player in Panthers history, announced his retirement via Twitter. Luongo never hoisted the Stanley Cup, but his 489 career victories are third in NHL history behind only Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy, and only Brodeur appeared in more games and made more saves than Luongo.

Tennis: Eight-time champion Roger Federer was seeded No. 2 for Wimbledon, one spot ahead of Rafael Nadal, reversing their positions in the rankings and creating a debate about whether the seeding system should be changed. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, was seeded No. 1 at the grass-court Grand Slam, where recent results on the surface are used to help determine seedings. The other majors do not do that. This year’s women’s seedings follow the WTA rankings, so French Open champion Ash Barty is at No. 1. Naomi Osaka is No. 2, followed by Karolina Pliskova. Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams is seeded 11th, the same place she holds in this week’s rankings.

— News services