As Maine continues to be a focal point of the sports culture debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports, the state’s Public Schools Superintendent Ryan Scallon has now said his piece on the situation. 

The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced that it found the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association and Greely High School all in violation of Title IX following an investigation into trans-inclusion in girls’ sports. 

“What HHS is asking of the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) and Greely High School is simple — protect female athletes’ rights. Girls deserve girls-only sports without male competitors. And if Maine won’t come to the table to voluntarily comply with Title IX, HHS will enforce Title IX to the fullest extent permitted by the law,” OCR Acting Director Anthony Archeval said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

However, there has been pushback to this finding, as well as the HHS’ warning that the state has 10 days to correct its policies through a signed agreement or risk referral to the U.S. Department of Justice, from several authorities in Maine, which now includes Scallon.

The superintendent likened the current transgender athlete battle to past U.S. civil rights issues during a recent statement.

“In our country’s history, there have been many civil rights struggles, including, but not limited, to fights for women’s rights to vote, for racial equality and for gay marriage. In each of these fights, the opposition in part was driven by fear in attempts to ostracize other people who look, act or believe in something different.

MAINE RESPONDS TO TRUMP ADMIN’S DECLARATION STATE VIOLATED TITLE IX BY ALLOWING TRANSGENDERS IN GIRLS SPORTS

“Today, I see that happening again with transgender or non-binary students, and in particular, our transgender athletes. When I came to this district, I was focused on the work of educating students in improving our outcomes. I wasn’t interested in proactively speaking out on social matters or political matters. That said, it is simply unacceptable that there are efforts from our federal government, and some in our state, to ostracize a student population that is estimated to be less than one percent of our student population. 

“In light of this, I cannot continue to sit silently.”

The Maine Principals’ Association issued a response to Fox News Digital after the OCR’s announcement on Monday. 

“The alleged violation is due to MPA’s policy which is a direct result of the Maine Human Rights Acts mandate that athletes be allowed to participate on the teams which align with their gender identity. MPA’s policy is consistent with Maine State Law,” the response read.

The Trump administration expanded its Title IX investigation into Maine last week, citing violations of President Donald Trump’s executive order stating biological males are not allowed to compete in women’s sports in educational and athletic institutions. 

Trump’s Executive Order 14201, better known as “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports,” was signed to “protect female student athletes, in the women’s category, from having to ‘compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males.’” In turn, the executive order also mandated each federal department to “review grants to education programs and, where appropriate, rescind funding to programs that fail to comply with the policy established in this order.”

Republican legislators in Maine called on Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, to comply with Trump’s executive order with millions in federal funding for K-12 schools being threatened as a result of not doing so. 

Maine Gov. Janet Mills and President Donald Trump at the White House. (Getty Images)

“If Maine Democrats continue to double down on allowing biological males to participate in girls’ sports, our students stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding. Gov. [Janet] Mills and legislative Democrats have a renewed opportunity to do the right thing, to ensure restored funding and a fair and level playing field for Maine girls,” state Rep. Laurel Libby, R–Auburn, said this past Thursday. 

Libby became a prominent figure in this Maine debate after posting a Greely High School pole vaulter on social media. The pole vaulter competed as recently as June 2024 as a biological male, and ended up winning a state championship as a woman. 

Democrats in the Maine state legislature censured Libby for the post, which showed the athlete competing as a male, while next to an image of the athlete winning the women’s pole-vaulting competition in the Maine Class B indoor championship in February. 

Trump called out Maine shortly after Libby’s post began to stir up debate. Trump had a public argument with Gov. Mills at the White House, where he threatened state funding if Maine did not “clean that up.” Mills replied that she would see Trump “in court.”

Mills, in congruence with the Maine Principals’ Association, argues that Trump’s executive order conflicts with Maine’s current Human Rights law. As a result, following the executive order would defy state law, which currently allows athletic participation based on the person’s stated gender identity.

“No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will,” Mills said in a statement when the HHS initially announced its investigation. “It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.”

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — On the eve of UCLA’s biggest game of the season, there was a fluid situation in the locker room.

The water boy couldn’t find anything to drink.

Nothing on hand aligned with Finn Barkenaes’ new sponsor, Niagara Bottling, leading to jokes about a personal prohibition.

“He can’t drink certain kind of drinks because he’s got an NIL deal,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said of the head student manager who recently became the first water boy to land a national brand sponsorship. “And I was looking around, and they said, ‘No, it’s true.’”

Barkenaes can actually drink whatever he wants, but he’d strongly prefer it be a Niagara product.

The Diamond Bar-based company recently selected the senior business economics major to be its pitchman for what might be the ultimate Cinderella story of March Madness.

“Let’s be real, water boys don’t get NIL deals,” Barkenaes said, “so it’s been pretty cool to be part of something that’s, like, flip the script on things and get recognized, even if it is in kind of a joking manner.”

During the next few weeks, Barkenaes will be featured on Niagara’s Instagram and other social media platforms, the tagline being that 2025 is the “Year of the water boy.”

“At Niagara, we believe unsung heroes like Finn keep top athletic programs running strong with high-quality water,” said Julia Buchanan, the company’s vice president of marketing and communications. “He was the perfect choice as our first-ever NIL water boy — his dedication to UCLA athletics is unmatched, and he plays a vital role in supporting a legendary program.”

At first, Barkenaes thought the whole thing was a joke. A water boy pitchman? Seriously?

He realized otherwise once he started hopping on Zooms with company executives from around the country, leading to his signing a deal with undisclosed terms. Barkenaes did divulge that he’s already received several cases of water, with more likely to come.

“I’m jealous,” Cronin said as his team prepared to face Utah State on Thursday at Rupp Arena in the first round of the NCAA tournament. “That’s what I just told him.”

Handing out water might be the easiest thing Barkenaes does. He and the other managers sweep the practice court, load equipment onto buses and planes, tape simulated basketball courts onto hotel ballroom floors and try — in an often futile effort — to stop the team’s big men in practice while wearing oversized pads on their arms.

“He’s hitting us, pushing us,” center Aday Mara said of Barkenaes.

This isn’t the first time Barkenaes has been called a water boy. Arizona and Arizona State fans once used the term to heckle him, but the taunts had the opposite of their intended effect.

UCLA men’s basketball manager Finn Barkenaes poses alongside Niagara Bottling products. Barkenaes has an endorsement deal with the company.

(Niagara Bottling)

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“The whole idea is that we’re out of the spotlight, and the people who work this job do it because they love basketball and they love UCLA,” said Barkenaes, who wants to work in wealth management or finance after graduation. “All of the staff with me, they’re not in it for the spotlight and the recognition, so I think people kind of embrace it, it’s kind of like a chip-on-your-shoulder thing. It’s like, ‘I’m the water boy, I’m the one that people typically don’t care about.’”

Now he’s the talk of the locker room, players calling Barkenaes “Money man,” “Niagara boy” and “Water boy.”

He just smiles, a nobody soaking in success.

As the college basketball world gears up for March Madness, this is the last chance for seniors to make an impression on WNBA talent evaluators ahead of the 2025 WNBA Draft, which will be held eight days after the national championship.

Unlike on the men’s side, tournament risers aren’t as prevalent, thanks to four years of tape on most prospects. However, a strong run of play to close the season can’t hurt. In recent memory, Maddy Siegrist (2023) and Emily Engstler (2022) vaulted themselves into the lottery with their performances in February and March.

With WNBA free agency and trade season essentially behind us but with the NCAA finishing kick yet to come, here is how the top prospects stack up in The Athletic’s latest mock draft.

Position Center Forward Guard Wing

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Not that there were any doubts about Paige Bueckers being the top choice in this draft, but if there were, those were summarily put to rest with Bueckers’ most outstanding player tour de force in her final Big East tournament, with Dallas general manager Curt Miller and head coach Chris Koclanes looking on from the stands. Bueckers showcased the full gamut of skills that make her such a tantalizing prospect: shot-making, shot creation, controlling the tempo and defensive playmaking. She also demonstrated the leadership and aggression any team looks for in a potential franchise player.

The primary knock on Bueckers in her college career has been that she is deferential to a fault. That shouldn’t be a concern with the WNBA’s talent level; regardless, her career average of 19.6 points per game would have been seventh in the league in 2024. Combine that with an extraordinary level of efficiency — for her career, Bueckers has made 58.5 percent of her 2-pointers, 42 percent of her 3s and 85 percent of her free throws — and it’s hard to imagine the Huskies star being unable to impact winning right away.

There is a high standard for Bueckers to live up to as a top pick from UConn, a group that includes Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird. Bueckers’ collegiate production indicates that she is a worthy addition to this lineage.

Miles is a generational playmaker whose ability to read the floor in pick-and-rolls, in transition and against any kind of junk defense leaps off the screen. She has led the ACC in assists in each of her three full seasons. She’s also a value-add on defense with her size, rebounding and understanding of schemes. Considering how shallow the point guard pool is in the WNBA, she is a safe pick to eventually be one of the best players at her position.

The upside with Miles comes with her scoring. She has always been excellent at attacking the rim and is a strong finisher. This season, she added a jumper and has been elite at shooting from 3-point range. That will enable her to play on and off the ball as a pro, making her a natural fit next to former Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, but also the heir apparent at point guard when the 34-year-old veteran moves on. Miles’ overall defense and turnover rate lag behind that of Bueckers, which is why she isn’t in the conversation for the No. 1 pick, but the Storm should be thrilled to have Miles as a foundation for their future.

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The Storm received this pick from the Los Angeles Sparks.

Bueckers will be the No. 1 pick in this draft, but there is a chance that Malonga ends up as the best player. At 19 years old (she won’t turn 20 until after the 2025 WNBA season), Malonga is a full four years younger than Bueckers, and at least three years younger than the other domestic draft prospects. Nevertheless, she competes against veterans in France’s top league and is already producing.

In a league dominated by post play — the teams with superstar power forwards and centers tend to win titles — Malonga is the future of this position. She is long and athletic and has the mobility to defend multiple positions. Her free-throw shooting has improved in every professional season, from 60 percent in 2021-22 to 71.4 percent this season, which bodes well for Malonga eventually stretching out her game. She’s already making 32.3 percent of her 3-pointers, albeit on limited volume (10 of 31).

It bears repeating that Malonga is succeeding against professionals as a teen. Her development curve is just getting started, and she was already good enough to make the silver-medal French Olympic team in 2024. The sky is the limit with Malonga, with the only major concern being her availability, as the French national team demands heavy commitment during the summers.

The Mystics received this pick from the Chicago Sky.

Citron was five spots lower in the last mock draft, as I prioritized players with more offensive potential. Citron has never been the No. 1 option at Notre Dame, and translating role players to the WNBA is a trickier exercise. But the Irish senior is such a spectacular secondary (or tertiary) option that it’s unlikely she will fall past Washington in the draft, whether that is at the fourth pick or the sixth pick.

Citron can defend multiple positions without much help with her size and IQ, though she could probably stand to add strength in the W. She has successfully taken on the Bueckers and JuJu Watkins assignments the last two seasons, leading Notre Dame to a 3-0 record against the Huskies and the Trojans. She is a consistent 3-point shooter, making 37 percent of her attempts in her college career. Citron also has enough of a handle that she can put the ball on the floor and attack a closeout, if not run the offense.

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The Mystics have enough young frontcourt players with Shakira Austin, Aaliyah Edwards, and potentially Sika Koné and Emily Engstler. After drafting Malonga, it makes sense to try to build up the backcourt. With her versatility, Citron should be a fixture in the league for a long time.

Iriafen is an outstanding athlete at her position and has a nose for the glass, especially as an offensive rebounder. The most disappointing outcome of a USC possession has to be playing good defense, forcing a miss from Watkins, and then watching Iriafen come in for a putback. Her positioning is excellent, and her second jump makes her a tough cover. That’s a skill that will immediately translate to the WNBA.

This is also a good landing spot for Iriafen to get more reps at a high level. She has been playing heavy minutes for only the last two seasons, in two dramatically different systems, and could use some development time before the Valkyries are ready to compete with the best teams in the W. Golden State’s roster is stocked with players who can play power forward, but none has Iriafen’s scoring ability. She can shoulder a high offensive usage right away.

Washington is essentially only beginning its rebuild, so it isn’t necessary to use its three picks on a big, a wing and a point guard. The Mystics aren’t building an Unrivaled team, after all. However, the best player available at this spot is Saniya Rivers, which makes for a happy accident.

Rivers is a tremendous passer, especially in transition. Her outlets and hit-aheads are jaw-dropping. She is also a top-tier athlete — she’ll step into the WNBA as one of the most athletic players in the league already with her speed, her bounce and her lateral quickness. That is part of what makes her an elite defender both at the point of attack and on the wing.

The knock on Rivers is her shooting. Her jumper is broken and needs a complete overhaul. Consequently, defenders sag on her, which limits her willingness to get to the rim. Even when she does drive, her touch at the basket isn’t great. She’ll need to work on her scoring package, and Washington has the time to develop her. Even so, her passing, defense and physical attributes are too impressive to pass up.

Washington received this pick from the Atlanta Dream via the Dallas Wings.

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Morrow doesn’t have the size of a prototypical power forward. Listed at 6-1, the LSU media guide may be exaggerating even that number. However, her production in the paint is undeniable. She is an efficient finisher and a voracious rebounder. Although she lacks the size to defend from behind in the post, she can front and has good hands, allowing her to deflect passes and cause turnovers. Were she a few inches taller, she’d be a lottery pick, but her size creates questions. Connecticut has succeeded with players who didn’t fit a particular archetype, and the Sun need talent, especially in the frontcourt.

The Sun received this pick from the Phoenix Mercury via the New York Liberty.

There wouldn’t be a point to hiring Rachid Meziane if the Sun weren’t going to step into international waters, and Jocytė is the most intriguing European prospect after Malonga. Her dream is to play in the WNBA, and she specifically confirmed her draft eligibility — although she grew up in Lithuania, she was born in the U.S., which could have subjected her to the collegiate age limit rule. Jocytė has been successful competing in FIBA, leading Lithuania to a U-18 gold medal in 2022. She currently plays with Malonga in Lyon. Although her 2-point shooting has dipped in 2024-25, she is a solid 3-point shooter and excellent from the foul line, which indicates that she could be a 3-and-D wing going forward. At 19 years old, even if she doesn’t come over right away (EuroBasket will take place this summer), Jocytė could still contribute in Connecticut for a long time.

Connecticut received this pick from the Indiana Fever.

Assuming she is healthy, Fudd has first-round talent. She is a big guard who can defend the two and three positions. Her jumper is pristine. You’d like a player with her size to make more plays on defense and get to the line more often, but that’s why Fudd isn’t a lottery pick. There’s also the hope that as she gains more confidence in her body, she’ll become more aggressive as a defender and driver. The Sparks could desperately use a shooter of Fudd’s caliber, even if she isn’t a three-level scorer. The 3-pointer and midrange is enough for now.

The Sparks received this pick from the Seattle Storm.

The Sky are in win-now mode, after trading the No. 3 pick in this draft, plus swapping rights in 2027, for Ariel Atkins. In that respect, drafting a fifth-year senior who has won a national title and immediately fits on Chicago’s roster is the move. Paopao can back up Courtney Vandersloot and Atkins at the one and two. She is an excellent shooter off the catch and off screens, and she knows how to play with ball-dominant bigs. Plus, she will have immediate chemistry with Kamilla Cardoso, her former Gamecocks teammate. Coach Tyler Marsh emphasized movement shooting as an area of need when Chicago hired him, and there is no one better than Paopao at that specific skill.

Chicago received this pick from the Connecticut Sun.

The Lynx could go international at this selection to find a wing — someone like Slovenia’s Ajša Sivka, who can slot next to Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride, seems like a good fit. However, Minnesota suffered from a lack of playmaking in the WNBA Finals, as Courtney Williams, McBride and Collier are all scorers first. Getting a true point guard, even if she comes off the bench, to help move the ball and organize the offense seems useful. Amoore is already adept at running pick-and-roll and the Lynx’s size at the other positions will help cover for her defensively. Amoore can help create easier shots for those stars to keep them fresher at the end of games.

Curt Miller’s best player development success stories as Connecticut’s general manager were with Maryland players: Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones. Why not go back to the Brenda Frese well? Sellers is a solid defender, an above-average 3-point shooter, and her point guard reps have expanded her shot-creation abilities. She has struggled with knee issues as a senior, but even taking a year off to recover wouldn’t be the worst outcome. Dallas already has a glut of guards with Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, Ty Harris and likely Bueckers. They can let Sellers rebuild her body, and she can enter the league when the value of a rookie scale contract is much higher in 2026.

Dallas received this pick from the New York Liberty via the Phoenix Mercury.

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(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos of Aneesah Morrow, Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles: Jacob Kupferman, Justin Casterline, Joe Buglewicz / Getty Images