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Streak Snapped
If you're under the age of 27, you have not been alive for a time when Stanford didn't win the Director's Cup, an award that crowns the nation's top-performing athletic department.
The Cardinal have claimed the cup for absurd 25-straight times, but that streak has finally been snapped.
Year of the Longhorn #HookEm pic.twitter.com/QrNCmKML0q
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) July 2, 2021
This is only the second time in history that Stanford has not won the cup as North Carolina won the first Directors Cup back in 1993-94. Both times it did not win the cup, Stanford came in second place.
It's worth noting, this had nothing to do with Stanford cutting 11 varsity sports. Those cuts were slated to take place after the 2020-21 athletic season and the decision to eliminate the sports has since been reversed, with Stanford deciding not to cut any sports.
Prayers up, Mark Richt
Not all news this week was lighthearted. On Thursday, longtime college football head coach Mark Richt shared that he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.
— Mark Richt (@MarkRicht) July 1, 2021
Richt, of course, coached Georgia from 2001 to 2015 and briefly led the Miami Hurricanes from 2016 to 2018. He currently serves as an analyst on the ACC Network, and according to his letter, he has no plans to retire from that position.
Goodbye, so long, etc.
Illinois knew that there was a chance it would be losing its star big man if he got good feedback during the NBA Draft process, but now it seems they'll be losing him no matter what as Kofi Cockburn has also entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.
7 Kofi Cockburn, who was a 2nd-team All-American & 1st-team All-Big 10, will enter the transfer portal, while keeping his name in the NBA Draft. @kxng_alpha , who averaged 17.7 points & 9.5 rebounds this season, is exploring all options. He can instantly elevate any program. pic.twitter.com/a9VYNiWPlp
— (@Andrew__Slater) July 1, 2021
Cockburn has been a force since arriving in Champaign. He was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2020 and as a consensus second-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten last year.
Last season, he averaged nearly a double-double a game, putting up 17.7 rebounds and 9.5 boards per game.
ICYMI
Three Things That Set Quinn Ewers Apart From Other Quarterbacks
Quinn Ewers is the highest-rated quarterback in the modern era, which is unique in itself. But our Colin Hass-Hill went to watch him participate in the Elite 11 Finals over in California this week, and he gave us three things that set Ewers apart from other quarterbacks in the class – including, of course, his glorious mullet.
Hunter Armstrong's Rise From "Bad" High School Swimmer to Ohio State Olympian
Ohio State men's swimmer Hunter Armstrong will represent the United States in the 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Olympics, but as our Colin Hass-Hill reports, he wasn't always so dominant.
Ryan Day and Kerry Coombs Will Have to Fight to Keep Ohio State's Defensive Back Class Together
Ohio State currently has four elite cornerback commits in the 2022 class, but Kerry Coombs and Ryan Day are going to have to fight to keep them all in the class as teams around the nation will try to flip them.
