Olympic gold medalist Jack Alexy will have to make room on his trophy shelf after taking home his first individual gold medal at the short course World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Budapest on Thursday. 

Racing in the men’s 100-meter freestyle final, Alexy held off Brazil’s Guilherme Santos to win gold with an official time of 45.38 seconds. Teammate Chris Guilano finished in fourth, just a hair behind, with a time of 45:51. 

Wednesday’s gold medal marks the second for Alexy in Budapest. 

Alongside Guilano, ​​Luke Hobson, and Kieran Smith, the Americans took home gold in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay. They set a world record and Alexy’s lead-off time of 45.05 set both an American and world championship record. 

Alexy was just under second behind the world record in the 100-meter free which Australia’s Kyle Chalmers set in 2021 (44.84). 

Jack Alexy of the United States competes in Heat 10 of the men’s 100-meter freestyle during day two of the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) 2024 at Duna Arena on December 11, 2024, in Budapest, Hungary.  (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

US SWIMMERS BREAK WORLD RECORD IN MEN’S 4X100 FREESTYLE RELAY AS AMERICANS DOMINATE ON FIRST DAY OF WORLDS

The Americans continued to dominate on day three of the short course worlds with even more records and gold medals after starting off the competition with five world records and four golds on day one. 

On Thursday, Gretchen Walsh, the women’s 4×200-meter free relay team, Kate Douglass, Lilly King, Regan Smith, Carson Foster, and Kieran Smith all picked up medals for Team USA. 

Jack Alexy of the United States competes in the Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay Final during day one of the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) 2024 at Duna Arena on December 10, 2024, in Budapest, Hungary.  (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

The competition continues through Sunday with a host of different events still to come. 

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Baseball has struck out in Modesto.

The largest operator of minor league baseball teams bought the Modesto Nuts and plans to move the team to San Bernardino in 2026, the Nuts announced Thursday. Modesto has fielded a California League team since 1946.

The move helps create a mecca of minor league baseball in the Inland Empire, with three California League teams set to play within 25 miles come 2026 — and with all three teams now owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings.

The Dodgers will move their California League affiliate from Rancho Cucamonga to a new $100-million ballpark in Ontario. The Angels, who were affiliated with Rancho Cucamonga from 2001-2010, will return there from San Bernardino.

The Seattle Mariners owned the Nuts, but the team and city failed to reach agreement on a long-term lease extension. DBH bought the team and plans to return the Mariners’ affiliate to San Bernardino, where Ken Griffey Jr. played as a Seattle prospect at age 18 in 1988, the year before the Hall of Famer made his major league debut. The Mariners’ California League affiliate played in San Bernardino from 1987-1994 and from 2001-2006.

DBH also announced its acquisition of the Quakes from Brett Sports, run by Bobby Brett, brother of Hall of Famer George Brett. DBH already owned the San Bernardino team.

The team names — the Quakes in Rancho Cucamonga, and the Inland Empire 66ers in San Bernardino — will remain even as the affiliations change. The Ontario team has not yet selected a name.

The Nuts name, which inspired “Go Nuts!” chants and honored a Central Valley that produces almost all the almonds, walnuts and pistachios in the United States, will remain in Modesto, for a city without a team.

In 2021, Major League Baseball took over the minor leagues and eliminated 43 teams affiliated with MLB teams, including the one in Lancaster. MLB also mandated facility standards for the remaining 120 teams, often at significant expense to host cities.

DBH now owns 41 of those teams.

In Modesto, where John Thurman Field dates to 1955, MLB requested $32 million worth of improvements. The Mariners said — and the city acknowledged — that the team offered to pay, but the city remained uncomfortable with other undisclosed potential deal terms.

“The city worked hard to negotiate a long-term lease agreement to keep the team in Modesto, but the Seattle Mariners chose to go in a different direction,” the City of Modesto said in a statement.

The Nuts won the California League championship this year. Next year will be a farewell season.

“It is disappointing to see the Modesto Nuts have been sold and will leave after being part of our community for so long; for generations, the team has given Modesto so many unforgettable moments,” the city’s statement read. “The Modesto Nuts have been deeply rooted in our community and have a cultural legacy far beyond the sport. Bringing people together through games, traditions, and a united love for baseball.

“While it is difficult to say goodbye, we will embrace this final season and celebrate the club’s cherished history in Modesto.”

The first 12-team College Football Playoff bracket has been selected, and now awards season is upon us before the games kick off.

Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, Miami’s Cam Ward and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel have been named Heisman Trophy finalists ahead of Saturday night’s ceremony, and all four are represented among the 50 players on The Athletic’s two All-America teams. Who joins them? Thirty-five schools have at least one selection, led by three each from Texas and Oregon and two each from Miami, Boise State, Penn State, Ohio State, South Carolina, Michigan, Iowa, Tennessee, Alabama, Indiana and Pitt.

QB Cam Ward, Miami: The Hurricanes just missed the Playoff, but the Washington State transfer was by far the biggest reason they were in the hunt all year. He’s passed for 4,123 yards in 12 games, averaging 343.6 yards per game and 9.5 yards per attempt while throwing a national-high 36 touchdown passes to seven interceptions. Ward repeatedly delivered in big moments as the Hurricanes stayed undefeated into November, and even in the two November losses he totaled 697 yards, five TDs and zero picks. He’s set to be Miami’s first top-five Heisman Trophy finisher since 2002.

RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State: Jeanty has had one of the most prolific seasons in college football history, chasing Barry Sanders’ remarkable 1988 season with 344 carries for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns. He averages 7.3 yards per rush, with 12 rushes of 50-plus yards — eight more than any other FBS player and the most since Bryce Love had 13 in 2017. Jeanty was the driving force behind Boise State’s run to the Mountain West title and a Playoff bid, and he’s heading to New York as a deserving Heisman Trophy finalist.

RB Cam Skattebo, Arizona State: After three years at Sacramento State in the FCS, Skattebo was solid in coach Kenny Dillingham’s first season at Arizona State, rushing for 783 yards and nine TDs for a team that went 3-9 in 2023. This year? Skattebo helped propel a breakthrough in which the Sun Devils won their final six games, captured the Big 12 title and earned a surprise Playoff bid. Skattebo rushed for 170 yards, had 38 receiving yards and finished with three total TDs in the Big 12 championship blowout of Iowa State, giving him 2,074 yards from scrimmage (1,568 rushing and 506 receiving) for the season.

WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona: The Wildcats may not have met soaring preseason expectations, but McMillan posted his second consecutive big season to deliver on the preseason hype after he elected to stay at Arizona following the departure of coach Jedd Fisch to Washington. As a junior, he caught 84 passes for 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns, including 304 yards in the opener against New Mexico and 202 yards against West Virginia. He continues to show a knack for highlight-reel catches.

WR Xavier Restrepo, Miami: Ward gets the most credit for Miami leading the nation in scoring and yards per play, but don’t discount Restrepo’s contributions as the QB’s favorite target. Restrepo has 69 catches for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns, with 100-plus yards in six of 12 games, to give him 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. According to TruMedia, he’s dropped just two passes, and he has 20 catches of at least 20 yards.

Miami is scoring 44.2 PPG behind Xavier Restrepo and Cam Ward. (Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)

TE Tyler Warren, Penn State: Warren is the versatile go-to weapon in an offense that has jumped from 75th to sixth in yards per play despite having a lack of go-to playmakers at wideout. Warren is one of two 1,000-yard receivers in the Big Ten, catching 88 passes for 1,062 yards and six touchdowns — including a staggering 17 catches for 224 yards and a TD in a comeback win at USC. He’s also completed three passes for 35 yards and a TD and rushed 23 times for 191 yards and four TDs, lining up as a traditional tight end, out wide, at quarterback and in the backfield.

OL Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas: Banks has made 39 starts in three years after signing with Texas as a five-star recruit. A stalwart at left tackle, he’s allowed a total of four sacks in his career, per PFF, including just one sack and six pressures this year. He’s projected to be an early first-round draft pick.

OL Will Campbell, LSU: It is likely to be Banks or Campbell as the first offensive tackle off the board in the NFL Draft. And like Banks, Campbell was one of the top tackle prospects in the 2022 class, instantly earning a starting role upon arrival in college. He’s made 38 career starts and, according to PFF, has allowed one sack this season and four in three years.

OL Wyatt Milum, West Virginia: The Big 12’s offensive lineman of the year has been a four-year starter at tackle for the Mountaineers. Per PFF, he’s given up zero sacks and just eight pressures this season — in fact, he hasn’t given up a sack since he was a freshman.

OL Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon: Conerly emerged as a standout tackle for the Ducks last year and blossomed into a first-team All-Big Ten pick as a junior in Oregon’s first year in the conference. According to PFF, he’s allowed one sack and just six pressures — tied with Banks for the fewest among Power 4 tackles with at least 300 pass-blocking snaps.

C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State: Can a player validate his All-America status by not playing? The Alabama transfer overcame the snapping problems of last year to be a midseason All-America pick by The Athletic in October, and his standout play continued until he was injured before the final two games. According to TruMedia, Ohio State averaged 2.79 yards before contact per rush in its first 10 games, with McLaughlin in the lineup, which ranked fifth in the FBS. Without McLaughlin? It averaged 0.21 against Indiana and 0.54 in the loss to Michigan. He was a first-team All-Big Ten pick by conference coaches despite the late injury.

DE Abdul Carter, Penn State: The junior moved from outside linebacker to defensive end and thrived as the season progressed. Despite some early inconsistency, he developed into one of the most disruptive players in the country, showcasing his speed and athleticism in racking up 60 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

DE Kyle Kennard, South Carolina: The Gamecocks are tied for third nationally with 40 sacks, with a ferocious defensive front helping to lead their surge into the top 20 in the polls. Though five-star freshman Dylan Stewart has had a big season as well, Kennard has stolen the show with 15.5 tackles for loss, including 11.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles after transferring from Georgia Tech.

DT Mason Graham, Michigan: The Wolverines defense wasn’t as dominant as in their national title season, but Graham erased any doubt about his All-America status with an individually dominant performance in the upset of Ohio State. The 320-pound junior has 45 tackles, including seven TFLs. He’s strong, physical and disruptive and appears destined for the top 10 in the NFL Draft.

DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss: Nolen signed with Texas A&M as the No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2022, and after a stellar two seasons, he transferred to Ole Miss and blossomed into an All-American. The Rebels own one of the nation’s most disruptive defenses, ranking No. 1 in tackles for loss and No. 5 in yards per play allowed, and the 305-pound Nolen has been a key force at tackle. He shares the team lead with 14 tackles for loss and has 6.5 sacks and three pass breakups.

Walter Nolen leads Ole Miss’ fourth-ranked scoring defense. (Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)

LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas: He’s the best player on one of the nation’s best defenses. Texas leads the FBS in yards per play allowed, and the sophomore has been the centerpiece as a disruptive and versatile linebacker. He has 90 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, seven sacks and an interception, taking a step up from a Freshman All-America season in 2023.

LB Jay Higgins, Iowa: Another stout Iowa defense has allowed just three rushing touchdowns all season, with Higgins the backbone of the unit. He’s second in the Big Ten with 118 tackles and has forced two fumbles, and he has also shined in coverage, racking up four interceptions and five pass breakups.

LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo. It’s hard to stuff the stat sheet as much as Dolac has. A former walk-on, Dolac had his 2023 season cut short after four games by an injury. He returned this season to lead the nation with 153 tackles while also finishing with 16.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks — plus five interceptions, including a pick six.

CB Jahdae Barron, Texas: Barron has shifted from primarily a slot corner to playing outside this season as a fifth-year senior. According to PFF, he hasn’t allowed a touchdown while intercepting five passes and breaking up nine more for a Texas defense that has allowed the fewest passing yards per attempt (5.1) and per game (143.1) in the FBS.

CB Nohl Williams, Cal: A fifth-year senior who started his career at UNLV, Williams leads the nation with seven interceptions, including a pick six against Miami, and has also broken up nine passes, forced a fumble and returned a kick for a touchdown.

S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame: Watts has earned All-America recognition for the second year in a row as a ball-hawking weapon in the secondary for the nation’s top pass efficiency defense. He has 49 tackles, nine pass breakups, a forced fumble and five interceptions, including a 100-yard pick six to break open the Irish’s win over USC.

S Caleb Downs, Ohio State: A former five-star recruit, Downs shined as a freshman at Alabama last year, then carried over that success as a transfer to Ohio State. He has 62 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception and three pass breakups, showcasing a well-rounded skill set as the best player on a loaded defense that ranks No. 2 in yards per play and No. 1 in points allowed.

K Dominic Zvada, Michigan: An Arkansas State transfer, Zvada has gone 7-for-7 on field goals of 50-plus yards this season, including a 54-yarder in the 13-10 upset of Ohio State. He’s 17-for-18 on field goals, his only miss being a kick blocked by Illinois.

P Eddie Czaplicki, USC: Czaplicki leads the nation in net punting average at 45.45, per TruMedia. Nine of his 40 punts (22.5 percent) have been downed inside the 10-yard line, and he has just one touchback.

GO DEEPER

Revisiting Travis Hunter’s high school exploits: ‘He’s the best skill kid I’ve ever been around’

AP Travis Hunter, Colorado: Few players can make a case for “all-purpose” All-American without gaudy special teams stats, but Hunter is unlikely anyone else. He plays full-time on offense, where he had an All-America season at wide receiver. He plays full-time on defense, where he also had an All-America season. He could be a top-10 pick at either position. He’s caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he has four interceptions and 11 pass breakups. According to PFF, he allowed just 205 passing yards, fourth fewest among FBS cornerbacks who played 700-plus defensive snaps.

GO DEEPER

Heisman straw poll: Ashton Jeanty changes several minds late, but is it enough?

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(Top illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos of Anthony Hill, Travis Hunter and Tyler Warren: Tim Warner, Ed Zurga, Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)