The SEC softball tournament opened with a major upset Wednesday night, as the Ole Miss Rebels knocked off the Tennessee Lady Vols 4-1 in Kentucky.
The 13-seed Rebels now advance to the SEC quarterfinals after eliminating fifth-seeded Tennessee in the Lady Vols' first 2026 tournament matchup.
“When you lose a softball game like we did today, pretty much everything that adds up to a loss was there,” Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly said after the loss.
“We missed opportunities when we had runners in scoring position. We didn’t make plays when we needed to keep them from scoring. And then we allowed too many free passes.”
Tennessee grabbed an early lead in the second inning, after Ella Morrison scored off an RBI singe from Bella Faw. The run briefly put the Lady Vols ahead 1-0.
“I was just looking to attack the zone,” Faw said. “Coach said that postseason is an opportunity to start over, start fresh and just play free.”
However, that would be Tennessee's only run of the night.
Ole Miss responded in the fourth inning after capitalizing on a Tennessee error. That error led to two unearned runs and a 2-1 lead. The Rebels added insurance in the fifth when Maddi George delivered a two-run single to stretch the advantage to three.
The Lady Vols created chances throughout the game but struggled to convert, stranding eight runners on base.
Tennessee ace Sage Mardjetko took the loss after allowing two unearned runs over 3.2 innings, while hurler Karlyn Pickens took over for the final 3.1 innings.
Kyra Aycock earned the win for Ole Miss, allowing one run across four innings before Emilee Boyer secured the save.
How to Watch the 2026 SEC Softball Tournament
Ole Miss next faces defending champion Texas on Thursday at 5 PM ET, live on SEC Network.
US track star Allyson Felix is getting more specific about what her Olympics return might look like.
After announcing plans to come out of retirement and pursue a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Felix says her ideal path back would likely center around Team USA's relay pool rather than an individual event.
“My ideal situation would be to try to make the relay pool for maybe the mixed 4x400m relay,” Felix said Thursday on TODAY. “It’s a tall task to get back to that level, but I’m excited to really push for it.”
After retiring in 2022, Felix announced last month that she plans to resume full training in October with longtime coach Bobby Kersee as she prepares for what could be her sixth Summer Games.
The 2028 Olympics hold special significance for Felix, as they'll take place in her hometown of Los Angeles.
“If it wasn’t LA, I wouldn’t be as curious,” she said. “I just can’t imagine not going for it with it being in my hometown.”
Felix won 11 medals across five Olympics — including seven golds — making her one of history's most decorated track and field athletes.
If she qualifies for LA28 at age 42, she would become the first US track and field athlete to reach six Olympics.
However, the comeback won't be easy.
To make the relay pool, Felix would likely need a strong US Olympic trials showing, where spots traditionally go to athletes who reach the 400-meter final. USATF has not yet announced official qualification procedures for the 2028 Games.
Still, the track icon says she's at peace with the challenge ahead.
“There’s nothing to prove,” she added. “It’s just about testing the limits... Either way, I think it’s just about the success of courage, of going for it.”
Rachel Entrekin made ultramarathon history this week, becoming the first woman to win the Cocodona 250 outright.
The 34-year-old crossed the Flagstaff, Arizona finish line in 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 48 seconds, breaking the overall course record while finishing ahead of both the men’s and women’s fields.
"I think I basically wept from the second I got off the single track until I crossed the finish line," Entrekin said afterwards.
Known as one of the toughest endurance races in the world, the Cocodona 250 stretches more than 250 miles across desert terrain while featuring 38,791 feet of elevation gain — and a high point of 9,241 feet.
Entrekin has already established herself as a top marathoner after winning the women's division in 2024 and 2025. Last year, she also set the women's course record at 63:50:55, finishing fourth overall.
This year, however, she returned to shatter the overall course record of 58:47:18 set in 2025.
Even with that pace, Entrekin still managed to take brief breaks.
"I slept five minutes, then seven minutes, then seven minutes," she said. "My goal was to only have dirt naps."
Entrekin outlasted a field of elite runners while being supported by a six-person crew that included her parents. Men's champion Kilian Korth finished second overall, after trailing Entrekin late in the race.
Despite the historic achievement, Entrekin remained grounded throughout the event. Some post-race coverage noted she stopped to pet dogs and thanked volunteers while continuing to extend her lead.
Entrekin's victory caps a remarkable three-year run, after becoming the first woman to win the Cocodona 250 outright.
UAB softball coach coach Taylor Smartt has stepped away the American Conference program, after multiple allegations of player abuse and misconduct surfaced this week.
According to a recent Softball On SI report, sources connected to the Blazers raised concerns about the manager involving player treatment and inappropriate conduct. Potential NCAA and Title IX-related violations accompany those initial complaints.
UAB confirmed that Smartt had “taken a step back” from the program beginning April 25th. She did not coach the final five games of the season, with assistant coach Anna Shelnutt subsequently taking over the team.
Softball On SI spoke with 10 individuals connected to UAB athletics, including four current players, four parents, a former student-athlete, and a booster.
Concerns About UAB Coach Taylor Smartt Go Unanswered
According to the report, one softball parent emailed UAB administrators to explicitly share concerns about Smartt's allegedly racist behavior.
"My daughter was repeatedly subjected to what I can only describe as mental and verbal abuse," wrote Lindsey Dupree.
"There were deeply concerning remarks made by Coach Smartt regarding my daughter’s appearance, including racially insensitive comments about her braided hairstyle, which was referred to as 'jailhouse braids.' Such comments are unacceptable in any professional or educational setting."
Another complaint referenced a physical altercation in the dugout.
"I am writing to report an incident I witnessed during the ECU vs. UAB softball game," reads the March 2026 email.
"While observing from the first base dugout area, I saw the UAB head coach punch a player in the dugout. Following the incident, I noticed the player began to tear up, appearing to be in physical pain or distress... I wanted to bring this matter to your attention for further review."
The email was sent to East Carolina athletic director Jon Gilbert, among other front office figures.
SI noted Gilbert responded to the email, saying "Thank you for sharing. Will forward to the appropriate people."
On May 1st, the school released a general statement addressing the allegations.
"We are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and positive experience for our student athletes," reads the statement. "When concerns are brought to our attention, we take appropriate steps to investigate them. Employment matters are handled between the institution and employees."
Smartt is in her second season leading the Blazers. She previously served on coaching staff at Florida Atlantic University.
According to the report, Softball On SI reached out to both Smartt and director of operations Julie Money for comment. Neither responded to the request.
The WNBA is officially increasing penalties for technical fouls, flagrant fouls, and flopping ahead of the 2026 season.
The updated system comes as player salaries rise significantly under the league's new CBA. Fines are also increasing across multiple categories.
Under the new structure, players will now receive a $500 fine for each of their first three technical fouls of the season — up from $200 last season. A player's fourth through seventh technical foul will cost $1,000 each, with every tech after that resulting in a $1,500 fine.
Suspensions will begin once a player reaches eight technical fouls, with every other technical after that triggering an additional suspension.
The WNBA also adjusted its flagrant foul penalties.
In the league's previous point system, a Flagrant 1 equals one point while a Flagrant 2 equals two points. However, beginning with the 2026 WNBA season, each point will carry a $500 fine. This is more than double last year's $200-per-point structure.
Players also face suspensions for reaching certain point totals. If a player with three points is charged with a Flagrant 2, they automatically receive a two-game suspension. Any player who accumulates six total points also faces a two-game suspension.
Flopping violations will also be more heavily enforced.
A first offense will result in a warning. Meanwhile, further violations will carry escalating fines starting at $100, increasing by $100 for each additional offense.
While flopping violations were previously subject to discipline, the league hadn't publicly disclosed fine costs.
Alysha Newman has been handed a 20-month suspension after missing multiple anti-doping controls, according to the Athletics Integrity Unit.
The Canadian pole vaulter — who won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics — is responsible for three "whereabouts" failures within a 12-month span. This qualifies as an anti-doping violation under global athletics rules.
In a post on Instagram, Newman shared a message alongside a photo celebrating her Olympic bronze medal.
“You can bind up my leg, but not even Zeus has the power to break my freedom of choice — Epictetus,” Newman wrote.
Under international anti-doping rules, athletes must maintain a daily one-hour period for surprise testing.
According to the AIU, Newman missed one test in February and two in August. During the third incident, officials said Newman told a doping control officer she had to leave to film a television game show.
After the third violation in February 2026, Newman subsequently received a provisional suspension.
“The Athlete has accepted the above Consequences for her Anti-Doping Rule Violation and has expressly waived her right to have those Consequences determined by the Disciplinary Tribunal at a hearing,” the AIU said in a statement.
Newman's ban runs through August 2027.
The standard penalty for whereabouts violations is typically two years. However, investigators reduced the suspension after accepting that Newman has decided to end her pole vaulting career. The AIU described that as a "sufficiently unique/exceptional factor" in determining the sanction.
The 31-year-old last competed in Diamond League events in Qatar and Morocco in 2025. However, she became one of Canada's most recognizable track and field athletes during the Paris Olympics, where her 4.85 meter-vault set a national record. She additionally became the first Canadian woman to medal in Olympic pole vault.
Alexandra Eala battled through a tough opening-round test on Wednesday, rallying past Magdalena Fręch to advance to the Round of 64 at the 2026 Italian Open.
Eala secured the 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 win in two hours and seven minutes, giving the 20-year-old Filipina her first career Rome Open victory.
"I'm really proud of myself because there were so many moments, especially in the third set, where she could've gone really far," Eala said of her Round of 128 opponent.
Despite the competition, the world No. 42 looked firmly in control early in the match.
Eala dictated rallies from the baseline, winning 67% of her first-serve points while remaining flawless behind her second serve. She subsequently shut out Fręch 6-0 in the opening set.
However, momentum shifted in the second.
The Polish player settled into longer rallies, forcing a deciding set after taking advantage of a dip in Eala’s form.
Fręch managed to grab a 3-1 lead in the third before Eala responded.
The 20-year-old broke back to level the set at 3-3, held for a 4-3 advantage, then fought off a break point in a crucial ninth game to move ahead 5-4. From there, Eala broke Fręch one final time to close out the victory.
"I think I've come a long way from last year," Eala said. "My team and I have really been working the past few weeks, and I think that we've been able to put out just some things that we've been working on in competition."
Where to Watch Alexandra Eala at the 2026 Italian Open
Eala next faces Wang Xinyu in the Round of 64, after the No. 31 seed received a first-round bye. Xinyu previously defeated Eala in the Auckland semifinals earlier this year.
The Italian Open continues through May 17th, live on the Tennis Channel.
Marie-Philip Poulin scored her first career PWHL playoffs goal in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, securing Montréal's 1-0 triple-overtime win over Minnesota to take Game 2 of the Frost vs. Victoire semifinal series.
After three scoreless regulation periods and two additional overtime periods, Poulin finally broke through a little more than four minutes into the game's third overtime.
"Captain Clutch" drifted to one knee and hammered home the game-winner off a cross-ice feed from Abby Roque, following a setup pass from Poulin's fellow Canadian international — and wife — Laura Stacey.
"It was truly a team effort," Poulin said after the Game 2 win. "We had that intensity, that drive to win. It was shift after shift, and we stayed confident. We're rolling up our sleeves and getting to work."
The game lasted 104:02, making it the fourth-longest match in PWHL history.
It proved to be a defensive showdown, as goaltenders on both sides registered exceptional performances.
Montréal's Ann-Renee Desbiens made 38 saves in the shutout — the third most in her post season career. Minnesota's Maddie Rooney stopped 51 shots, surpassing her previous 37-save career high.
"It was a tight game," said Frost head coach Ken Klee. "Both goalies played well, and both teams played very hard. Certainly proud of our group and how hard they battled. They had to play almost two games — six periods of hockey is a lot."
Poulin's goal evened the best-of-five series at 1-1 after defending champion Minnesota took Game 1 5-4 in overtime.
Now, the series shifts to Minnesota for the next two games, with little turnaround time after Tuesday's marathon matchup.
Where to Watch Frost vs. Victoire PWHL Playoffs Game 3
The Frost vs. Victoire series returns for Thursday's Game 3 at 7 PM ET, live on PWHL YouTube.
Game 4 will follow on Friday night.
Coco Gauff is set for a challenging path at the 2026 Italian Open as the WTA Tour's European clay swing continues.
Kicking off May 5th, the Italian Open serves as one of the final WTA 1000 events before the French Open. Nearly every top-ranked looks to build momentum in Rome, as the second Grand Slam of the season approaches.
Gauff lands in Italy coming off a difficult 2026 Madrid Open run. There, she was impacted by a stomach virus that spread through the locker room, eventually falling to Linda Noskova in the Round of 16.
Now ranked No. 4 in the world on a 19-8 season record, Gauff is searching for her first title of 2026.
As the Italian Open's No. 3 seed, Gauff receives a first-round bye. She'll next face either Tereza Valentova or Yulia Putintseva — players she's previously handled easily.
From there, however, her path becomes more rigorous.
Potential quarterfinal matchups include threats like Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, and Elise Mertens, with additional contenders possible.
If she advances farther, a semifinal clash with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka could be looming. The pair's head-to-head has historically been tightly contested, producing a 6-7 record.
And if Gauff reaches the final, she could face the opposite side of the draw's fiercest contenders. That lineup could include No. 4 seed Iga Świątek or No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina.
While Gauff has proven she can work deep on clay — having reached the 2025 Italian Open final — this year's tournament could present an exceptionally difficult path to glory.
How to Watch Coco Gauff at the Italian Open 2026
The Italian Open runs through May 17th, live on the Tennis Channel.
Tina Charles has officially announced her retirement, bringing an end to one of the most accomplished careers in WNBA history.
"Today, I officially announce my retirement from basketball," Charles wrote in a social media post.
"Fifteen years at the professional level and a lifetime of love for this game... Through it all, I learned how to show up. When doubt got loud and narratives were written about me, I kept showing up. That's the New Yorker in me, where resilience is built, not talked about."
The 37-year-old steps away after 14 seasons as the league's all-time leading rebounder and second all-time top scorer.
Charles finishes her career with 4,262 rebounds and 8,396 points, trailing only Diana Taurasi on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list.
Drafted No. 1 overall by the Connecticut Sun in 2010, the UConn product made an immediate impact at the professional level. She won Rookie of the Year before earning MVP honors in 2012, going on to become an eight-time WNBA All-Star.
Charles played for multiple teams throughout her career, including the New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm, and Atlanta Dream, before returning to Connecticut in 2025. In her final season, she averaged 16.3 points and 5.8 rebounds.
While she never got the chance to play in a WNBA finals, Charles's international basketball resume includes three Olympic gold medals and multiple FIBA World Cup titles with Team USA.
Her impact extended off the court as well.
"Her legacy will be defined not only by her excellence on the court, but by the standard she set as a leader, a teammate, and a champion for the communities she touched," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a league statement.
Charles leaves the game as one of the most defining players in WNBA history.