KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Western Michigan has hired Kahil Fennell away from Texas-Rio Grande Valley to take over its struggling men’s basketball program, athletic director Dan Bartholomae announced Saturday.

Fennell was 35-29 in two seasons with the Vaqueros and will take over a WMU team coming off its eighth straight losing season and fourth under Dwayne Stephens, who was fired two weeks ago. The Broncos were 10-21 this season and tied for last in the Mid-American Conference.

“As we set out to find our next head coach, we sought a leader who not only had experience working with some of basketball’s finest programs and coaches, but one who had also led his own program to new heights at the Division I level,” Bartholomae said.

“We also sought someone who would be a great community partner as we prepare for the most transformative event in the history of our athletics program,” he added. “There is no question that Western Michigan University and the entire Southwest Michigan community has found that leader in Kahil. His track record of recruiting, developing and connecting with student-athletes stood out, and his vision and leadership acumen was unmatched.”

Fennell was an assistant at Louisville and BYU before he was hired to lead a UTRGV program that had won six games in 2023-24. His first Vaqueros team went 16-14. This season, UTRGV finished 19-14 and third in the Southland Conference.

The No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies baseball team saw another game of struggles to start an SEC conference matchup Friday night in College Station, except this one wasn’t as close as the games last week in Norman, dropping Game 1 of their series against the Georgia Bulldogs, 9-4.

The Aggies posted a seven-run inning earlier in the week against the Texas State Bobcats, but were unfortunately unable to produce that same firepower with their bats three days later.

With the loss, the Aggies drop to 17-4 on the year, and 1-3 against SEC opponents.

Texas A&M Bats Struggle in Loss to No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs

Shane Sdao took the loss for the Aggies despite striking out 11 batters in 5.2 innings pitched while also allowing nine hits and five earned runs on 112 pitches.

With the Aggies against their second top 10-ranked SEC team in a row, the Bulldogs wasted no time making their presence felt in College Station as Henry Allen blasted a three-run home run off of Sdao in the top of the first inning.

Georgia second baseman Tre Phelps would follow up in the second inning with an RBI single to give the visiting team a 4-0 lead after two innings.

The Aggies would find a spark in the bottom half of that same inning, with first baseman Gavin Grahovac smashing a single into center to give A&M their first hit and first two runs of the contest, scoring Jake Duer and Terrence Kiel II, cutting Georgia’s lead in half.

Unfortunately, that’s really where the good times stopped for Texas A&M.

Bulldogs third baseman Michael O’Shaughnessy rocketed a solo home run in the top half of the third, left fielder Cole Johnson would rope a two-RBI single into the outfield in the eighth inning, and designated hitter Jordy Oriach came on to pinch hit in the ninth and smacked a towering two-run homer over the wall in right center.

Aside from RBI singles by Grahovac and Chris Hacopian in the bottom half of the frame, the Aggies were unable to duplicate their stellar offense from Tuesday in the ninth inning, and they took their second straight conference loss on the year.

Both Boston Kellner and Terrence Kiel II were able to draw walks in the contest, allowing them to extend their streak as the only two Aggies to get on base in all 21 games this year.

Game 2 between the two SEC schools is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Saturday.

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BROWNSVILLE, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a box of live parrots apparently being smuggled across the border from Mexico into Texas.

CBP seizes live parrots

The parrots were found in an SUV crossing at the Brownsville Port of Entry on March 13, the CBP said in a Friday release. 

The 2007 GMC Yukon was flagged for a secondary inspection, at which point a box with three live parrots was discovered. 

Homeland Security Investigations special agents initiated a criminal investigation into the seizure. CBP says they worked with partner agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to safeguard the birds at a local zoo.

Parrots are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora regulated by FWS. 

What they’re saying:

“Parrots are protected species and our frontline officers work diligently to prevent suspected attempts to smuggle them as part of the illegal animal trade,” said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry. “Exotic birds may carry various diseases not known to exist in the U.S. that could endanger native wildlife and U.S. agriculture, resulting in potential economic harm as well.”