Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what’s next.
Division III's Birmingham-Southern Stays Alive in College World Series
No school, no problem.
Although Birmingham-Southern has officially closed its doors following the end of the school year due to financial hardship, its baseball team is one of eight teams Division III teams still playing baseball this season following a thrilling 9-7 comeback win Saturday night, one in which the Panthers trailed 7-4 after initially leading 4-0.
Jackson Webster's dad says, "Do your job, Jackson!" And he does! He blasts a two-run walkoff home run and @BSCsports is still alive! Final: Birmingham-Southern 9, Randolph-Macon 7. #d3baseball pic.twitter.com/0McnlJ0WCu
— D3baseball (@d3baseball) June 2, 2024
After Birmingham-Southern lost its opener of the College World Series on Friday, the same day it closed its doors for the first time since 1856, the Panthers won on Saturday to stay alive in the postseason.
Reaction from the Birmingham-Southern watch party at Back Forty Beer Company.
— BirminghamSports (@BirminghamSport) June 2, 2024
A walk-off homerun to advance BSC. https://t.co/5KiYeIurfv pic.twitter.com/rkgiaq4I6r
Birmingham-Southern will take on Wisconsin-Whitewater in an elimination game Sunday at 5 p.m. The winner will be one of four teams remaining in the Division III College World Series.
The "Support BSC Baseball's Historic Season" gofundme has raised more than $100,000 to support the baseball team's impressive postseason run and its players.
"At the start, there was a lot of sadness," Cole Steadman, a former player for the Panthers, told ESPN. "We were pretty devastated to hear that the school was shutting down, but to see the community come together has been special."
Ex-Penn State Doctor Awarded $5.25 Million in Punitive and Compensator Damages
Less than two weeks ago, Dr. Scott Lynch testified that Penn State head football coach James Franklin meddled in the team's medical decisions and pushed to cut a player who attempted suicide.
In his testimony, Seidenberg described an instance when Franklin and then-Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour wanted an unnamed player who attempted suicide to be medically disqualified from the team while he received treatment in short-term psychiatric care. The disqualification would have caused the player to lose his scholarship, allowing Franklin to offer that spot to another player the following off-season. Seidenberg and Lynch declined to comply with Franklin and Barbour's request.
On Wednesday, a Dauphin County jury in Harrisburg awarded Lynch $5.25 million in punitive and compensatory damages following a seven-day trial, one that included testimony from former Penn State players, doctors, athletic trainers, university system officials and others discussing examples of injuries and medical decisions.
"This is bigger than just Penn State," Lynch said. "It's really a national crisis and things have to change." He said he hoped the size of the money awarded in his case would prompt schools to pay more attention to this issue.
"We are extremely disappointed to learn of the jury's decision, as we continue to believe that the claims in the complaint have no merit. Penn State Health will soon determine whether it will appeal the decision," Penn State Health said in a statement.
"Penn State Health and the University remain dedicated to the health and well-being of our student-athletes."
Ex-Notre Dame Quarterback Tyler Buchner Returns to Fighting Irish as Walk-On Wide Receiver
What a wild college career it's been for Buchner, who will be back in South Bend once again this fall.
He was Notre Dame's starting quarterback for its first two games of the 2022 season before missing the final 10 games of the regular season due to injury. Buchner returned for the Gator Bowl, where he helped lead the Fighting Irish to a win over South Carolina.
Although he competed for the starting job prior to the 2023 season, Sam Hartman inevitably won the starting nod after transferring from Wake Forest. Due to that, Buchner transferred to Alabama, reconnecting with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
But his only start with the Crimson Tide came in a Week 3 win over South Florida, when Buchner completed just 5-of-14 passes for 34 yards. He was benched for the first in his career where he "fell into a deep emotional hole," and "felt hopeless and hated football," he wrote in a letter to the Notre Dame community.
He then returned to Notre Dame this spring, where he helped its lacrosse team win its second straight national championship, totaling one assist in 10 games as a reserve. Back in South Bend, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound former quarterback will be a walk-on wide receiver for Notre Dame this fall and suit up for the Irish's lacrosse team once again in 2025.
"Being able to play the game I have loved since I can remember and playing for Notre Dame had been my dream," Buchner wrote. "I risked it all and believed I had lost it all, as I did not think even returning to football at Notre Dame would be in the cards.
"It would have been easy for the football coaching staff to see me just as a player who had left, but instead, I am grateful they were able to see me as a young man eager to return and contribute in any way I could for the greater good of the team."
Buchner isn't the only two-sport athlete for Notre Dame, as Jordan Faison totaled 19 catches for 322 yards and four touchdowns in seven games as a freshman on the football team and is one of the top offensive players on its lacrosse team as well.
ICYMI
Examining the Potential Benefits and Drawbacks of College Sports’ New Revenue Sharing Model for Ohio State
Ohio State is as well-positioned as any school in the country for revenue sharing, but the new model will create some new challenges for OSU, particularly in non-football sports.
Impossible Brightness
"Toughness" shows up on plays where informed crowds like the ones in Columbus or Ann Arbor adjust their volumes accordingly.
Former Ohio State Point Guard Mike Conley Has Landmark Playoff Run, D’Angelo Russell Inconsistent in Early Lakers Exit
Mike Conley's heady point guard play helped take him and the Minnesota Timberwolves on a landmark NBA playoff run while two other Buckeyes also made postseason appearances.
Up Next
- Men's Track and Field: NCAA Championships, Wednesday and Friday
- Women's Track and Field: NCAA Championships, Thursday and Saturday
- 90 Days: Ohio State football's season opener vs. Akron
- 181 Days: The Game
