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Alabama A&M university mistakenly announced the death of one of its football players – before backtracking and confirming that he is very much still alive.
The school’s athletics team wrongly declared on Wednesday that Medrick Burnett Jr, 20, had died weeks after he was seriously injured during a game.
The now-deleted statement from Alabama A&M athletic director Dr Paul A. Bryant read: “Today, our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.
“Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; he was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him.
“While words cannot adequately express our grief, we are humbled by the strength of his family, who stood by his side throughout this unimaginable ordeal.”
The statement went on to offer condolences to the linebacker’s family and teammates.
School’s athletics team wrongly declared that Medrick Burnett Jr, 20, (pictured) had died weeks after he was seriously injured in a game (Alabama A&M)
But hours later, the athletics team walked back the announcement, confirming that Burnett is still alive.
“We retract the news of the passing of Medrick Burnett Jr, that was originally advised by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening,” it said in a statement on X.
“Our staff acted accordingly to the wishes of the family member to inform the A&M community and beyond of this unfortunate occurrence.”
The college expressed its “immediate regret for disseminating false information.”
The star linebacker, known as “Meddy,” has been hospitalized for the last month after suffering a serious head injury during a game against Alabama State at Magic City stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 26.
According to a GoFundMe page, set up to help the 20-year-old in his recovery, Burnett took a serious knock in a “head-on-head collision” with another player.
He remains in “stable condition” in hospital, said AAMU.
Roundup of Saturday’s high school district playoff action from the Greater Spokane League and Eastern Washington.
Girls soccer District 6 4A
Richland 4, Lewis and Clark 0: The second-seeded Bombers (15-4) eliminated the third-seeded Tigers (13-5-2) at ONE Spokane Stadium to punch their ticket to state. Details were unavailable.
District 6 3A
University 1, Walla Walla 0: Addison Cox scored in the 17th minute, Tayler Nordean made three saves and the sixth-seeded Titans (11-7-1) eliminated the visiting top-seeded Blue Devils (10-9) in the district third-place game to earn a trip to state.
District 5/6 2A crossover
West Valley 5,East Valley (Yakima) 1: Chloe Van Wey scored two goals, Jenna Howe added a goal and an assist and the Eagles (18-0-1) beat the visiting Red Devils (12-8-1) at University HS to qualify for state. West Valley outshot EV 21-2.
Pullman 1, Prosser 0: The visiting Greyhounds (13-6) beat the Mustangs (14-4) to earn a trip to state.
District 5/6 1A crossover
Lakeside 2,Cascade (Leavenworth) 0: Brooklyn Moore and Lainee Higgens scored, Bre Oleson made six saves and the Eagles (9-7) eliminated the Kodiaks (15-6) in a crossover to qualify for state.
Royal 1, Riverside 0: The Knights (15-6) eliminated the visiting Rams (6-9) in a shootout. Details were unavailable.
District 6 2B
Freeman 4,Northwest Christian 0: Nora Gass scored two goals and the top-seeded Scotties (17-0) defeated the visiting second-seeded Crusaders (14-3-1) in the district championship. Abigail Strandy had 15 saves for the Crusaders. Both teams qualified for state.
Volleyball District 6 4A
Mead 3, Gonzaga Prep 1: Ava Durban had 12 kills, Maya Cassel added 26 assists and the visiting fifth-seeded Panthers (8-7) defeated the top-seeded Bullpups (12-3) in a semifinal. Noella Migliuri had 33 assists for G-Prep. Mead faces Kamiakin in the championship on Thursday.
Kamiakin 3,Lewis and Clark 2: Jennavive Roberts had 16 kills, but the second-seeded Braves (14-2) defeated the visiting third-seeded Tigers (8-8) in a semifinal. LC faces Richland in an elimination match on Tuesday.
Ferris 3, Chiawana 2: Olivia Hart had 19 hills, Kjersti Jacobson added 39 assists and the visiting seventh-seeded Saxons (6-10) eliminated the sixth-seeded Riverhawks (6-12). Ferris plays Gonzaga Prep in a loser-out on Tuesday.
District 6 3A
Ridgeline 3,Hermiston (Ore.) 0: Reagan Rothley had 10 kills, Kyla Ross added 25 assists and the second-seeded Falcons (15-1) defeated the visiting third-seeded Bulldogs (12-5) in a semifinal. Ridgeline hosts Mt. Spokane in the championship match on Thursday.
Mt. Spokane 3, Kennewick 0: The fourth-seeded Wildcats (12-3) swept the top-seeded Lions (14-5) in a semifinal. Details were unavailable.
District 6 3A
Shadle Park 3,University 1: Brynn Hooper had 11 kills, Sophia Crone-Johnson added 23 assists and the sixth-seeded Highlanders (10-9) eliminated the visiting eight-seeded Titans (3-12). Shadle travels to Kennewick for an elimination match on Tuesday.
Walla Walla 3,Central Valley 0: The fifth-seeded Blue Devils (10-10) eliminated the visiting Bears (4-14). Details were unavailable.
District 5/6 2A crossover
Pullman 3, Selah 0: Rowyn Lee had 14 kills, Camber Wolfe added 32 assists and the visiting Greyhounds (13-6) defeated the Vikings (11-3) to advance to state.
Toppenish 3, West Valley 2: Tala Gilchrist had 20 kills and four aces, and Kendall Focht had 40 assists, but the Eagles (17-2) were eliminated by the visiting Wildcats (10-9) to earn a bid to state.District 5/6 1A crossover
Zillah 3, Riverside 2: The Leopards (13-8) beat the Rams (9-11) at Chelan Community College to claim a bid to state. Details were unavailable.
Lakeside 3, Connell 0: The Eagles (11-2) defeated visiting Connell (13-4) to earn a berth to state. Details were unavailable.
Roundup of Saturday’s high school district playoff action from the Greater Spokane League and Eastern Washington.
Girls soccer District 6 4A
Richland 4, Lewis and Clark 0: The second-seeded Bombers (15-4) eliminated the third-seeded Tigers (13-5-2) at ONE Spokane Stadium to punch their ticket to state. Details were unavailable.
District 6 3A
University 1, Walla Walla 0: Addison Cox scored in the 17th minute, Tayler Nordean made three saves and the sixth-seeded Titans (11-7-1) eliminated the visiting top-seeded Blue Devils (10-9) in the district third-place game to earn a trip to state.
District 5/6 2A crossover
West Valley 5,East Valley (Yakima) 1: Chloe Van Wey scored two goals, Jenna Howe added a goal and an assist and the Eagles (18-0-1) beat the visiting Red Devils (12-8-1) at University HS to qualify for state. West Valley outshot EV 21-2.
Pullman 1, Prosser 0: The visiting Greyhounds (13-6) beat the Mustangs (14-4) to earn a trip to state.
District 5/6 1A crossover
Lakeside 2,Cascade (Leavenworth) 0: Brooklyn Moore and Lainee Higgens scored, Bre Oleson made six saves and the Eagles (9-7) eliminated the Kodiaks (15-6) in a crossover to qualify for state.
Royal 1, Riverside 0: The Knights (15-6) eliminated the visiting Rams (6-9) in a shootout. Details were unavailable.
District 6 2B
Freeman 4,Northwest Christian 0: Nora Gass scored two goals and the top-seeded Scotties (17-0) defeated the visiting second-seeded Crusaders (14-3-1) in the district championship. Abigail Strandy had 15 saves for the Crusaders. Both teams qualified for state.
Volleyball District 6 4A
Mead 3, Gonzaga Prep 1: Ava Durban had 12 kills, Maya Cassel added 26 assists and the visiting fifth-seeded Panthers (8-7) defeated the top-seeded Bullpups (12-3) in a semifinal. Noella Migliuri had 33 assists for G-Prep. Mead faces Kamiakin in the championship on Thursday.
Kamiakin 3,Lewis and Clark 2: Jennavive Roberts had 16 kills, but the second-seeded Braves (14-2) defeated the visiting third-seeded Tigers (8-8) in a semifinal. LC faces Richland in an elimination match on Tuesday.
Ferris 3, Chiawana 2: Olivia Hart had 19 hills, Kjersti Jacobson added 39 assists and the visiting seventh-seeded Saxons (6-10) eliminated the sixth-seeded Riverhawks (6-12). Ferris plays Gonzaga Prep in a loser-out on Tuesday.
District 6 3A
Ridgeline 3,Hermiston (Ore.) 0: Reagan Rothley had 10 kills, Kyla Ross added 25 assists and the second-seeded Falcons (15-1) defeated the visiting third-seeded Bulldogs (12-5) in a semifinal. Ridgeline hosts Mt. Spokane in the championship match on Thursday.
Mt. Spokane 3, Kennewick 0: The fourth-seeded Wildcats (12-3) swept the top-seeded Lions (14-5) in a semifinal. Details were unavailable.
District 6 3A
Shadle Park 3,University 1: Brynn Hooper had 11 kills, Sophia Crone-Johnson added 23 assists and the sixth-seeded Highlanders (10-9) eliminated the visiting eight-seeded Titans (3-12). Shadle travels to Kennewick for an elimination match on Tuesday.
Walla Walla 3,Central Valley 0: The fifth-seeded Blue Devils (10-10) eliminated the visiting Bears (4-14). Details were unavailable.
District 5/6 2A crossover
Pullman 3, Selah 0: Rowyn Lee had 14 kills, Camber Wolfe added 32 assists and the visiting Greyhounds (13-6) defeated the Vikings (11-3) to advance to state.
Toppenish 3, West Valley 2: Tala Gilchrist had 20 kills and four aces, and Kendall Focht had 40 assists, but the Eagles (17-2) were eliminated by the visiting Wildcats (10-9) to earn a bid to state.District 5/6 1A crossover
Zillah 3, Riverside 2: The Leopards (13-8) beat the Rams (9-11) at Chelan Community College to claim a bid to state. Details were unavailable.
Lakeside 3, Connell 0: The Eagles (11-2) defeated visiting Connell (13-4) to earn a berth to state. Details were unavailable.
Roundup of Saturday’s high school district playoff action from the Greater Spokane League and Eastern Washington.
Girls soccer District 6 4A
Richland 4, Lewis and Clark 0: The second-seeded Bombers (15-4) eliminated the third-seeded Tigers (13-5-2) at ONE Spokane Stadium to punch their ticket to state. Details were unavailable.
District 6 3A
University 1, Walla Walla 0: Addison Cox scored in the 17th minute, Tayler Nordean made three saves and the sixth-seeded Titans (11-7-1) eliminated the visiting top-seeded Blue Devils (10-9) in the district third-place game to earn a trip to state.
District 5/6 2A crossover
West Valley 5,East Valley (Yakima) 1: Chloe Van Wey scored two goals, Jenna Howe added a goal and an assist and the Eagles (18-0-1) beat the visiting Red Devils (12-8-1) at University HS to qualify for state. West Valley outshot EV 21-2.
Pullman 1, Prosser 0: The visiting Greyhounds (13-6) beat the Mustangs (14-4) to earn a trip to state.
District 5/6 1A crossover
Lakeside 2,Cascade (Leavenworth) 0: Brooklyn Moore and Lainee Higgens scored, Bre Oleson made six saves and the Eagles (9-7) eliminated the Kodiaks (15-6) in a crossover to qualify for state.
Royal 1, Riverside 0: The Knights (15-6) eliminated the visiting Rams (6-9) in a shootout. Details were unavailable.
District 6 2B
Freeman 4,Northwest Christian 0: Nora Gass scored two goals and the top-seeded Scotties (17-0) defeated the visiting second-seeded Crusaders (14-3-1) in the district championship. Abigail Strandy had 15 saves for the Crusaders. Both teams qualified for state.
Volleyball District 6 4A
Mead 3, Gonzaga Prep 1: Ava Durban had 12 kills, Maya Cassel added 26 assists and the visiting fifth-seeded Panthers (8-7) defeated the top-seeded Bullpups (12-3) in a semifinal. Noella Migliuri had 33 assists for G-Prep. Mead faces Kamiakin in the championship on Thursday.
Kamiakin 3,Lewis and Clark 2: Jennavive Roberts had 16 kills, but the second-seeded Braves (14-2) defeated the visiting third-seeded Tigers (8-8) in a semifinal. LC faces Richland in an elimination match on Tuesday.
Ferris 3, Chiawana 2: Olivia Hart had 19 hills, Kjersti Jacobson added 39 assists and the visiting seventh-seeded Saxons (6-10) eliminated the sixth-seeded Riverhawks (6-12). Ferris plays Gonzaga Prep in a loser-out on Tuesday.
District 6 3A
Ridgeline 3,Hermiston (Ore.) 0: Reagan Rothley had 10 kills, Kyla Ross added 25 assists and the second-seeded Falcons (15-1) defeated the visiting third-seeded Bulldogs (12-5) in a semifinal. Ridgeline hosts Mt. Spokane in the championship match on Thursday.
Mt. Spokane 3, Kennewick 0: The fourth-seeded Wildcats (12-3) swept the top-seeded Lions (14-5) in a semifinal. Details were unavailable.
District 6 3A
Shadle Park 3,University 1: Brynn Hooper had 11 kills, Sophia Crone-Johnson added 23 assists and the sixth-seeded Highlanders (10-9) eliminated the visiting eight-seeded Titans (3-12). Shadle travels to Kennewick for an elimination match on Tuesday.
Walla Walla 3,Central Valley 0: The fifth-seeded Blue Devils (10-10) eliminated the visiting Bears (4-14). Details were unavailable.
District 5/6 2A crossover
Pullman 3, Selah 0: Rowyn Lee had 14 kills, Camber Wolfe added 32 assists and the visiting Greyhounds (13-6) defeated the Vikings (11-3) to advance to state.
Toppenish 3, West Valley 2: Tala Gilchrist had 20 kills and four aces, and Kendall Focht had 40 assists, but the Eagles (17-2) were eliminated by the visiting Wildcats (10-9) to earn a bid to state.District 5/6 1A crossover
Zillah 3, Riverside 2: The Leopards (13-8) beat the Rams (9-11) at Chelan Community College to claim a bid to state. Details were unavailable.
Lakeside 3, Connell 0: The Eagles (11-2) defeated visiting Connell (13-4) to earn a berth to state. Details were unavailable.
Michigan Tech’s Logan Morrel, center, protects goalie Derek Mullahy, right, as Northern Michigan University’s Colby Browne goes in for a rebound during their CCHA game played at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
MARQUETTE — A pair of one-win teams collide at the Berry Events Center beginning tonight to kick off the annual Cappo Cup series.
Northern Michigan University is 1-7 and Lake Superior State is 1-5 with games at 7:07 p.m. today and 6:07 p.m. Saturday in Marquette. Both will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point with streaming coverage on Midco Sports Plus.
And fans can follow @NMUHockey on X (formerly Twitter) to get updates leading up to games and for live updates during contests. Or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the hockey schedule for links to live video, live audio, live statistics, ticket information and a series preview and history.
NMU Sports Information also wants to inform fans they can join them after Saturday’s game for a fourth-period party hosted and sponsored by Slabz Bar and Grill. Located inside the Ramada Inn on West Washington Street in Marquette, Slabz is a relaxed bar and restaurant offering “big” local food.
The Cappo Cup, decided annually between these Upper Peninsula rivals since the 1994-95 season, is given to the series winner. The return series will be in Sault Ste. Marie in early February.
Despite splitting the season series 2-2 last year, Northern lost the Cappo Cup 17-13 on goal differential.
Between them, this season the two U.P. teams have played just two league games, Northern’s 3-0 and 6-3 home-and-home sweep by Michigan Tech last weekend.
“(Lake Superior State) is in the U.P., it’s bragging rights and we should have good crowds again,” NMU head coach Dave Shyiak said in an NMU SI news release previewing the series. “They’re league … games and we’ve got to find a way to continue to get better, as we have been; but at the same time, you want to be able to fit some wins in (the schedule).
“This is an opportunity for us to build on some of our mistakes last weekend, but still be able to create the offense like we did.”
Shyiak found positives from his group despite the losses to MTU, which included two empty-net goals by the Huskies on Saturday in Houghton.
“I gotta give Tech credit, they found (a way) in their building to come back and win it,” he said about the Wildcats’ building a 3-1 lead after one period on Saturday. “We had chances, I thought, to make it a three-goal lead and we didn’t convert; nonetheless, I thought it was a great game on Saturday night.
“The positives were we got three goals, won the special teams battle and won the faceoff battle.”
Despite not denting the scoresheet at the BEC on Friday, Shyiak gave his players props for their offense.
“I think that was the most chances we’ve generated this year,” the coach said. “I think the chances were 18 to 18, I think we had 12 in the third (period) with a chance to convert, and they had two power-play goals and only one 5-on-5 goal.”
NMU’s Grayden Slipec scored two goals and added an assist on Saturday to earn himself CCHA Rookie of the Week honors. His linemates also found success, as Jakub Altrichter recorded three assists and Medrick Bolduc picked up a goal.
“When you have a young group, you’re always tinkering to find chemistry, and that (line) was probably one of the best lines on the ice that night,” Shyiak said. “They all bring a different element, and it was nice to see them rewarded.
“You gotta be able to finish plays off, and all three of them did.”
Over their past dozen games in this rivalry, NMU is 8-4 and outscored LSSU 41-35, going 4-2 both at home and in Sault Ste. Marie.
Slipec leads all CCHA freshmen with two power play goals and five points, while teammate Tynan Ewart leads league defensemen with four assists and five points, also coming in fourth in blocked shots with 20. Slipec and Ewart are Northern’s top scorers each with their five points.
Wildcats’ goaltender Ryan Ouellette is second in the CCHA with 268 saves and third with a .934 saves percentage, a particularly important stat as NMU is still being outshot more than 2-to-1, 328-156.
Northern leads the nation in blocks with 160, and in the CCHA, is third in faceoffs won with 249 and fourth in several other categories — faceoff percentage won at 51.2%, power play conversions at 15.8% and penalty kill at 86.2%.
Meanwhile, the Lakers only have a single win, a 3-0 decision against Stonehill, a Massachusetts school in its third year of playing NCAA Division I hockey. They were also swept at Michigan State, one game going to overtime, and allowed 15 goals in two games while being swept at Ohio State last weekend.
Reagan Milburn leads LSSU in scoring, matching NMU’s leaders with five points, including two goals. He has a four-game point streak.
Goalie Rorke Applebee has backstopped the past four Lakers’ contests and started another, too, sporting a 3.78 goals-against average and .891 saves percentage with 165 saves and the Rockhill shutout.
The Lakers are a conference-worst in allowing 4.3 goals per game while only averaging 1.8, but also have the CCHA’s best penalty kill at 100%, which doesn’t even take into account their shorthanded goal. Applebee has 43 saves while his team is shorthanded, a perfect 1.000 saves percentage.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.
Northern Michigan University defensive back Adam Saleh readies for a snap during a game played at the Superior Dome earlier this season. (Photo courtesy NMU)
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University football team plays its final home game of the season on Saturday afternoon at the Superior Dome, facing national power Ferris State at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II, having just beaten fellow GLIAC powerhouse and national No. 1 Grand Valley State 34-7 in Allendale last weekend.
Saturday’s combatants are at opposite ends of the spectrum, the Wildcats 0-8 overall and 0-4 in the league while Ferris is 7-1 and 4-0. The Bulldogs’ only loss was in its opener at current No. 1 Pittsburg State (Kansas), 19-3, another team that is 7-1.
NMU lost last Saturday 39-9 at Michigan Tech in the annual Miner’s Cup game in Houghton, sending Northern to its 19th straight loss under second-year coach Shane Richardson.
Senior Day recognition will take place before the game, which will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point. Fans can also follow @NMU_Football and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game. Or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the football schedule for links to ticket information, live video, live audio, live statistics, a game preview, an online version of the game program and a series history.
“We have to make sure we don’t allow the disappointment from Tech to carry over too long and also at the same time, looking at Ferris and not blowing them (up) way bigger than what they are either,” Richardson said in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the game. “They’re a good team, but we have to stay focused on what we can correct and address the mistakes we made last Saturday.”
In the game at Tech, NMU scored its touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 33-yard run by Tucker Welch, the longest rush of his career. Fellow Northern running back Nico Lukkarinen, a Negaunee High School product, led all rushers with 75 yards in 15 carries, including a 24-yard scamper, as NMU totaled 123 yards on the ground.
The Wildcats’ other points came off the foot of kicker Michael Karlen, who booted a 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter that tied the score 3-3 at the time.
NMU did break a two-game passing drought as it hadn’t completed a pass since the first weekend of October. Versus the Huskies, Northern quarterbacks Aidan Hoard and Duke Shovald combined to complete 8 of 17 passes for 87 yards with no interceptions. The previous two weeks, Hoard was a combined 0 of 7 with the Wildcats de-emphasizing the passing game in these latter stages of the season.
The Wildcats’ defense also forced four Huskies turnovers, with Jacquille Brown getting his first interception this season to go with a fumble recovery, while teammate Kade Manzo had his second pick of the campaign and Justin Peake recovered a fumble.
For the season, another NMU defender, Adam Saleh, has moved up in the conference leaderboard to fourth in total tackles with 56, while his 40 solo tackles lead the GLIAC. He’s had at least five tackles in every game this fall.
Saleh is the nephew of former Wildcats football player Robert Saleh, who played at NMU from 1997-2000 and was recently let go as head coach of the NFL’s New York Jets.
Northern is tied for the conference lead with eight forced fumbles, while Karlen is still a perfect 7 of 7 on field goals, and even with a miss vs. MTU, is still 13 of 14 on extra-point kicks.
On offense, freshman Jahi Wood is sixth in GLIAC rushing with 428 yards, with Elizin Rouse’s 228 is good for 15th, Lukkarinen’s 223 is 16th and Vince Martin’s 214 is 17th.
Lukkarinen’s three rushing touchdowns still rank him in the top 10 in the league, while the team rushing attack at 152.3 yards per game ranks fourth.
Despite the lack of passing recently, Northern wide receiver Michael Love in fourth in the league with four TD catches and seventh in receiving yards with 351. His two TD receptions vs. Wisconsin-La Crosse marked the first time an NMU receiver had multiple TD catches in a game since September 2022.
For Ferris, the Bulldogs not surprisingly have some pretty impressive statistics. They are third nationally in three categories — total offense at 499.0 yards per game, scoring offense at 44.0 points per game and total defense at 214.6 yards per game.
FSU leads the league with 13 interceptions and is tied with the Wildcats for third with five fumble recoveries, good for No. 1 in turnovers caused with 18, a half-dozen better than any other league team.
Individually, dual-threat QB Trinidad Chambliss is tied for first with 17 passing touchdowns and second in passing yards with 1,763. But he also leads the league by a good margin in rushing TDs by all backs with 10 — second place is six — and is even fourth in rushing among all back with 471 yards.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.
HOUGHTON — After the first set Wednesday night, it appeared the Michigan Tech volleyball team was in the …
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High school football
MHSAA 11-player playoffs, Division 6, district semifinals: …
Subject to change
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High school football
• Negaunee …
MARQUETTE — The Marquette Senior High School volleyball team ended its regular season and Great Northern …
Northern Michigan University defensive back Adam Saleh readies for a snap during a game played at the Superior Dome earlier this season. (Photo courtesy NMU)
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University football team plays its final home game of the season on Saturday afternoon at the Superior Dome, facing national power Ferris State at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II, having just beaten fellow GLIAC powerhouse and national No. 1 Grand Valley State 34-7 in Allendale last weekend.
Saturday’s combatants are at opposite ends of the spectrum, the Wildcats 0-8 overall and 0-4 in the league while Ferris is 7-1 and 4-0. The Bulldogs’ only loss was in its opener at current No. 1 Pittsburg State (Kansas), 19-3, another team that is 7-1.
NMU lost last Saturday 39-9 at Michigan Tech in the annual Miner’s Cup game in Houghton, sending Northern to its 19th straight loss under second-year coach Shane Richardson.
Senior Day recognition will take place before the game, which will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point. Fans can also follow @NMU_Football and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game. Or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the football schedule for links to ticket information, live video, live audio, live statistics, a game preview, an online version of the game program and a series history.
“We have to make sure we don’t allow the disappointment from Tech to carry over too long and also at the same time, looking at Ferris and not blowing them (up) way bigger than what they are either,” Richardson said in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the game. “They’re a good team, but we have to stay focused on what we can correct and address the mistakes we made last Saturday.”
In the game at Tech, NMU scored its touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 33-yard run by Tucker Welch, the longest rush of his career. Fellow Northern running back Nico Lukkarinen, a Negaunee High School product, led all rushers with 75 yards in 15 carries, including a 24-yard scamper, as NMU totaled 123 yards on the ground.
The Wildcats’ other points came off the foot of kicker Michael Karlen, who booted a 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter that tied the score 3-3 at the time.
NMU did break a two-game passing drought as it hadn’t completed a pass since the first weekend of October. Versus the Huskies, Northern quarterbacks Aidan Hoard and Duke Shovald combined to complete 8 of 17 passes for 87 yards with no interceptions. The previous two weeks, Hoard was a combined 0 of 7 with the Wildcats de-emphasizing the passing game in these latter stages of the season.
The Wildcats’ defense also forced four Huskies turnovers, with Jacquille Brown getting his first interception this season to go with a fumble recovery, while teammate Kade Manzo had his second pick of the campaign and Justin Peake recovered a fumble.
For the season, another NMU defender, Adam Saleh, has moved up in the conference leaderboard to fourth in total tackles with 56, while his 40 solo tackles lead the GLIAC. He’s had at least five tackles in every game this fall.
Saleh is the nephew of former Wildcats football player Robert Saleh, who played at NMU from 1997-2000 and was recently let go as head coach of the NFL’s New York Jets.
Northern is tied for the conference lead with eight forced fumbles, while Karlen is still a perfect 7 of 7 on field goals, and even with a miss vs. MTU, is still 13 of 14 on extra-point kicks.
On offense, freshman Jahi Wood is sixth in GLIAC rushing with 428 yards, with Elizin Rouse’s 228 is good for 15th, Lukkarinen’s 223 is 16th and Vince Martin’s 214 is 17th.
Lukkarinen’s three rushing touchdowns still rank him in the top 10 in the league, while the team rushing attack at 152.3 yards per game ranks fourth.
Despite the lack of passing recently, Northern wide receiver Michael Love in fourth in the league with four TD catches and seventh in receiving yards with 351. His two TD receptions vs. Wisconsin-La Crosse marked the first time an NMU receiver had multiple TD catches in a game since September 2022.
For Ferris, the Bulldogs not surprisingly have some pretty impressive statistics. They are third nationally in three categories — total offense at 499.0 yards per game, scoring offense at 44.0 points per game and total defense at 214.6 yards per game.
FSU leads the league with 13 interceptions and is tied with the Wildcats for third with five fumble recoveries, good for No. 1 in turnovers caused with 18, a half-dozen better than any other league team.
Individually, dual-threat QB Trinidad Chambliss is tied for first with 17 passing touchdowns and second in passing yards with 1,763. But he also leads the league by a good margin in rushing TDs by all backs with 10 — second place is six — and is even fourth in rushing among all back with 471 yards.
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.
HOUGHTON — After the first set Wednesday night, it appeared the Michigan Tech volleyball team was in the …
Today
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High school football
MHSAA 11-player playoffs, Division 6, district semifinals: …
Subject to change
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Today
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High school football
• Negaunee …
MARQUETTE — The Marquette Senior High School volleyball team ended its regular season and Great Northern …
Gopher Athletics and Dinkytown Athletes have expanded their partnership to include the Golden Gopher Fund. Building on the University of Minnesota’s commitment to provide a transformational academic and athletic experience for every Gopher student-athlete, individuals who support name, image and likeness (NIL) through Dinkytown Athletics will now receive Gopher Score priority points for their support of the Gopher student-athletes.
The partnership will go into effect November 1, 2024, in alignment with the Golden Gopher Fund’s new annual fund year. This new partnership will add to the rewards supporters of Gophers’ NIL opportunities can enjoy.
“While we work to achieve competitive excellence at Minnesota, we also remain dedicated to our mission of providing a world-class education and to inspiring our community,” said Director of Athletics Mark Coyle. “Golden Gopher Fund contributions have always had a critical impact in supporting student-athlete scholarships, academic support services, sports medicine, mental health initiatives, nutrition and much more. This partnership now allows us to recognize and reward our donors and fans who have also stepped forward to support our student-athletes through NIL opportunities with Dinkytown Athletes.”
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Golden Gopher Fund in adding Gopher Score points to the growing list of benefits that our members have access to.” added Dinkytown Athletes co-founder Rob Gag. “Dinkytown Athletes contributors and members are among the most passionate and dedicated in the Gopher fan base. Through in-person events, videos and interviews, our membership program connects fans with Gopher Athletes at a level that they’ve not before had access to. There has never been a better time to join in supporting your favorite Gopher athletes.”
New Benefits for Contributions to Dinkytown Athletes
For every $100 contributed to Dinkytown Athletes from memberships or one-time contributions, donors will earn ten (10) Gophers Score priority points from the Golden Gopher Fund within the current annual giving year (Nov. 1, 2024 – Oct. 31, 2025).
Gopher Score priority points are used to assign a ranking to each eligible Golden Gopher Fund member for the processes including season ticket upgrades, postseason ticket on-sales, priority for single game ticket on-sales and Gopher Loyalty Program benefit selection order.
Now through November 10, 2024, Nepsis is sponsoring a $1 million match campaign through Dinkytown Athletes. New memberships, upgraded memberships or contributions will be matched 1 to 1 by Nepsis. Matched funds will be used to benefit the Gopher Football and Gopher Volleyball programs.
Please allow 14 business days for new Dinkytown Athletes contributions to be reflected in Gopher Score.
About the Golden Gopher Fund
The Golden Gopher Fund is the fundraising arm of Gopher Athletics and is responsible for providing the financial resources for Gopher Athletics to provide a transformational academic and athletic experience. The Golden Gopher Fund works toward that goal by connecting donors with our 600 student-athletes on a daily basis and works tirelessly to build a community of passionate supporters. We thank the Golden Gopher Fund members who have generously supported Gopher student-athletes. Golden Gopher Fund donors have collectively given more than $113.6 million over the past three years.
Dinkytown Athletes is the official name, image and likeness (NIL) collective of Gopher Athletics, and provides a platform for student-athletes at the University of Minnesota to create and develop NIL opportunities with businesses and sponsors. NIL has created a pathway and support structure for athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness. Dinkytown Athletes works with athletes from the University of Minnesota to help them capitalize on this new opportunity.
Northern Michigan University’s Danny Ciccarello, top center, braces himself to block a shot by Arizona State’s Ryan Kirwan, lower left, during their game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
The Wildcats fell to 1-5 after being swept in this nonconference series by the Sun Devils (3-4-1).
There was certainly no guarantee Ouellette would’ve been done even if he had completely stoned ASU through the end of the third period, considering that Devils netminder Gibson Homer actually did post a shutout after making 22 saves. Ouellette finished with 36 stops a night after he made 37.
For the weekend, the Sun Devils outshot Northern by exactly a 2-to-1 margin, 78-39.
“I thought that was the best game we’ve played this year,” Northern head coach Dave Shyiak in his postgame press conference as reported by NMU Sports Information in an account of the game. “We competed hard, we made it difficult for them to generate plays off the rush, we had some more time of possession … we did everything to win the game except put the puck in the net.”
Northern Michigan University’s Jesse Tucker, left, tries to tip the puck past Arizona State goalie Gibson Homer during their college hockey game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)
Arizona State made the Wildcats pay for giving them their fifth power play of the evening. NMU’s Grayden Daul was tagged with a boarding minor with 4:20 left in regulation and the Devils’ Ryan Kirwan scored less than 30 seconds later.
Quickly starting the power play, Northern blocked a shot from the point that landed on the stick of ASU’s Bennett Schimek, who then made a cross-crease pass to Kirwan on the left faceoff dot and beat the outstretched Ouellette.
With the net empty in the game’s final ticks, Kirwan collected a loose puck and deposited it into the twine.
“The penalty kill was outstanding, Ryan Ouellette was really good and gave us a chance to win,” Shyiak said of his charges killing off four of five shorthanded situations.
NMU’s Jesse Tucker and Jakub Altrichter had exceptional nights in the faceoff circle, with Tucker winning 17 of 21 draws (81%) and Altrichter 13 of 17 (77%).
Earlier in the opening period, Northern was called for four minor penalties, leaving them shorthanded for almost half the period.
Then in the second, NMU recorded 14 shots on goal as Arizona State had 12. Northern also had five of those shots coming in the high-percentage area of the slot with none for the Devils.
But the score remained 0-0.
Now with an introductory three weeks of nonconference games out of the way, the Wildcats jump both skates first into CCHA games, playing nothing but conference contests the rest of the season except for a break at the Great Lakes Invitational in Grand Rapids between Christmas and New Year’s.
The league season starts with the first of two home-and-home series against Michigan Tech this weekend, the Huskies coming to Marquette at 7:07 p.m. Friday and Northern returning the favor in Houghton at 6:07 p.m. Saturday. Their second series will be played in late January.
“We talked about continuing to use these games as building blocks for next week when we start conference play,” Shyiak said. “To me, conference play is like the start to a new season, and we’ll get back to work on (today).”
Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.
Texas Tech University budgeted $14.71 million of institutional operating and debt support to the athletics department for the fiscal year that started Sept. 1, a development that could become more common in a looming new age in which major-college sports programs will share revenue with their athletes.
The settlement in the House v. NCAA case that would allow athletics departments to pay players more than $20 million per year received preliminary approval last week from a federal judge. It could go into effect in August 2025 if it receives final approval. The Texas Tech athletics budget this fiscal year is $128.97 million.
Tech athletics director Kirby Hocutt has said Tech will share revenue to the maximum allowable, though he’s not sure if Tech will increase scholarships to equal new roster limits, even for Texas Tech football.
“I think if any unit on this campus was facing a 20-something-percent cut in their revenue,” Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said last week, “we would have to look at how we might respond, and we will in this case, especially when you consider the market value of athletics. It does play a role in our branding, our recruitment, and we can cite that with all kinds of data.”
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As an example, Schovanec said about 146 students from Kansas City enrolled this fall on Tech’s Lubbock campus. He said that number has grown since Tech’s marketing agreement with the Kansas City Chiefs that prominently advertises the Double T during games at Arrowhead Stadium. The seven-year contract began in 2021.
In yearly financial reports to the NCAA maintained by USA TODAY, Tech showed a little more than $5.7 million in direct institutional support for both the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. It reported direct institutional support between $1 million and $3.5 million every fiscal year from 2005 through 2017 and less than $200,000 each year from 2018 to 2021.
In fiscal year 2021, when its revenue streams were severely impacted by pandemic restrictions, Tech athletics reported about $8.3 million in indirect institutional support and $3.2 million in direct government support. Indirect institutional support is the value of services provided to an institution that an athletics department is not charged for.
Schovanec said he thinks institutional support was higher than $5.7 million in fiscal year 2024, the data from which Tech athletics will report to the NCAA this winter.
“We didn’t go from 5.7 (million) to 14.7 (million) in one year,” he said.
“It’s more than when I became president,” said Schovanec, who took office in August 2016. “At the same time, there’s some numbers in there (this year) that I think could give a misleading impression of the nature of the support. There’s some debt service on facilities, and I’m not just talking about the new (Jones AT&T Stadium) south end zone.
“Also, if you do a comparison to other institutions in this changing environment, you’ll see that institutional support … We’re in the bottom end of that scale.”
Putting Texas Tech’s institutional support into context with peers
For fiscal year 2023, the University of Houston athletics department reported more than $48 million from direct institutional support and student fees and the University of Central Florida athletics department reported more than $36 million through a combination of student fees, direct institutional support and direct government support.
Cincinnati reported more than $35.5 million in direct institutional support and $2.5 million in indirect institutional support. All three schools started competing in the Big 12 last year.
Arizona athletics was subsidized $47.6 million for fiscal 2023 with about $35 million of that in indirect institutional support, according to USA TODAY’s records. Arizona State athletics received about $27.5 million, more than $11 million each via student fees and direct institutional support. ASU athletics did, however, report transferring $6.4 million back to the institution.
Schovanec said the entire budgeted subsidy of $14.71 million for athletics for this fiscal year might not be necessary, depending on revenue-generating initiatives athletics might develop and whether some fundraising from a capital campaign could be used.
Hocutt and Tech deputy AD Jonathan Botros said this summer they’ve been brainstorming new revenue ideas. That could include monetizing Jones AT&T Stadium via concerts, private functions, daily tours, even its parking lots for non-sports events such as barbecue competitions.
Hocutt’s also open to putting corporate logos on playing surfaces and sponsor patches on uniforms. Loosening of restrictions on such advertising has been under discussion at the NCAA level.
Athletics departments can be viewed by some in a bad light for receiving money transfers from the university, but the cash flows both ways. Sports business reporter Kristi Dosh, in a 2017 article for Forbes, noted that at many universities the university and the athletics department split licensing revenue equally, even if sports might more often trigger the buying impulse for branded merchandise.
Schovanec and Hocutt, in an interview last week, noted that athletics pays full cost of its scholarships, about $7 million to $8 million a year, and senior associate athletics director Robert Giovannetti said Tech athletes don’t receive out-of-state tuition waivers.
“We’re paying debt service on every construction project on this campus,” Schovanec said. “And what we don’t get from other units on this campus is sort of the cash flow that’s related to the athletic tuition dollars, so I’m comfortable with where we are.”
Though there was no public announcement, Tech began a university-wide capital campaign four years ago that Schovanec said has already raised $700 million. Athletics is one of four components of the campaign.
“When I say we haven’t definitively decided what our contribution’s going to be in the future,” Schovanec said, “it’s because the campaign would bear upon that. If we get endowments for student scholarships and supports, that would offset maybe what we have to do (in institutional support to athletics).
“And if you didn’t have to pay $6 or $7 million a year in scholarships, that’s six or seven more that you have for operational costs to offset the $20 (million) or whatever million go into revenue sharing.”
What are sources of Texas Tech athletics’ institutional support dollars?
In a 2022 interview, Botros said the money transfers Tech athletics receives do not come from state tax dollars or student tuition. Schovanec said last week that’s accurate.
“We don’t use tuition dollars,” he said, “so where we have gotten this money is from auxiliaries: dormitories, resident housing, food service. And also from interest-bearing accounts that we hold.”
“We’re customers of that,” Hocutt said. “We’re paying room and board to the university for our athletes. We’re paying into food service for the food offerings.”
The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents approved the budget in mid-August.
Asked how the amount of institutional support for athletics is determined each year, Schovanec said, “It’s always kind of balancing what we think we need for athletics to be competitive in this conference and on a national level and also trying to balance the fact that we’re fundamentally an academic institution.
“And so it’s not a hard science. We have input from our regents way into the conversation. It’s very much kind of a group decision on how we do these things. There’s not some formula. We’re just weighing the needs and what we want to do to be as competitive as possible.”
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University football team plays its final home game of the season on Saturday afternoon at the Superior Dome, facing national power Ferris State at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University football team plays its final home game of the season on Saturday afternoon at the Superior Dome, facing national power Ferris State at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
