Sports News Fall 2021
New Alliance
The Pac-12, ACC and Big Ten — three of the nation’s Power Five athletic conferences — announced a handshake partnership Aug. 24.
“There’s a lot going on in our industry,” Athletic Director Rick George said. “This alliance allows us to collaborate on these issues and bring stability to college athletics and the collegiate model.”
Such issues include evolving NCAA legislation on name, image and likeness (NIL); the expected expansion of the College Football Playoff; and conference instability, notably Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the SEC (effective 2025). To start, the alliance will encourage more interconference scheduling, multi-team, single-site events featuring teams from all three conferences and increased national television exposure.
With its 41 institutions united, the alliance could determine the future of the College Football Playoff, while also combining the resources of its research universities to improve student-athlete health and wellness.
Buffs Bits
Ralphie VI debuted Sept. 3, leading the Buffs football team onto Folsom Field to face Northern Colorado. The Ralphie Live Mascot Program is funded entirely by private support from donors. … Anthony Pham, tennis associate head coach, was promoted to head coach on July 26. Pham is the seventh head coach in program history. … Men’s basketball went undefeated on its four-game exhibition tour of Costa Rica in August. The on-court highlight came against Selección de Baloncesto when Jabari Walker (ExSt’24) shattered the backboard on a dunk attempt in the third quarter. Without a replacement backboard, the game was called with ahead 68-54. … On Sept. 18 Buffs volleyball extended its school-record undefeated start to the season to nine matches, taking down rival Colorado State twice in a row. … Women’s golf’s Ellie Gower (A&S’23) finished runner-up at the English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship Aug. 17-19 in Wallasey, United Kingdom.
Coach Talk
“The crowd was absolutely fantastic. This has been the best environment since I’ve been here in my 10 years. This needs to be the standard for soccer, not the exception.”
— Soccer head coach Danny Sanchez after 2,536 fans attended the Buffs’ home game against No. 1 Florida State Aug. 29.
Stats
$1
Bonus Spencer Dinwiddie (Comm ex'15) will receive, per his three-year, $62-million contract with the Washington Wizards, if the team wins the NBA championship
5th
Melissa Stockwell's (Comm’02) place in the triathlon (PTS2) at the Tokyo Paralympics
6
Total women’s cross-country runners who placed in the top 10 at the season-opening Wyoming Invitational in Cheyenne
30
club sports teams will resume competition in 2021-2022
281
Buffs rushing yards in football’s season-opening 35-7 victory over Northern Colorado on Sept. 3.
15th
Stage of the Tour de France won by Sepp Kuss (Advert’17) in July, the first American to win a stage of the race since 2011
Photos by Glenn Asakawa (Ralphie); Courtesy Athletics (Ellie Gower)