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UCLA freshmen draw on their elite gymnastics roots to help Bruins push for championships

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UCLA freshmen draw on their elite gymnastics roots to help Bruins push for championships

After sustaining a foot injury on her balance beam routine during a quad meet on Feb. 27 against Maryland, Ohio State and Iowa, Katelyn Rosen was sidelined for the rest of the competition. With the Big Ten title on the line, Bruins coach Janelle McDonald trusted one of the youngest athletes on her roster.

Freshman Nola Matthews was slotted into the floor rotation to replace the injured gymnast.

Matthews took over the leadoff position, but it did not faze her. She was ready to help UCLA secure its second consecutive regular-season Big Ten title.

“Nola had an opportunity to go out [and compete the weekend before] on floor, so I think that really prepared her to feel ready for that,” McDonald said after the win.

UCLA freshman Ashlee Sullivan competes on the vault during the Big Fours tournament at Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 27.

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(Etienne Laurent/For The Times)

Throughout their undefeated Big Ten season, the Bruins’ freshmen have established themselves as a cornerstone of the team. Ashlee Sullivan and Tiana Sumanasekera have each earned three Big Ten freshman of the week awards.

Matthews is averaging a 9.860 on bars and a 9.750 on floor. Jordis Eichman has made the most of her limited opportunities, averaging 9.805 on the balance beam and 9.750 on vault.

“The freshmen are contributing a lot for us,” McDonald said.

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Before competing in NCAA competition, they had already competed on the elite stage, the highest level of competitive gymnastics that includes the Olympics.

When associate head coach BJ Das approached Matthews to tell her to be ready, the freshman stepped up without hesitation, a skill she worked on during elite competition.

“She’s the type of athlete that has to work to get some skills and to keep them,” said Cleo Washington, who coached Matthews’ elite team, Airborne. “That’s what I like about her, she understands hard work, she understands the grind, and she’s not afraid of that.”

When Washington first met Matthews, she was self-deprecating. Rather than defining herself by her accomplishments, she focused on her mistakes.

As her gymnastics improved, so did her self value, which has helped develop her into an athlete UCLA can trust in big moments.

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UCLA freshman Nola Matthews gets height on her dismount from the balance beam during a meet against Nebraska.

UCLA freshman Nola Matthews gets height on her dismount from the balance beam during a meet against Nebraska at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 17.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“[She’s] extremely hardworking, has gotten a lot of resilience out of this sport, a lot of grit,” Washington said. “She’s one of the toughest athletes I’ve ever coached.”

Following Matthews on floor during the Bruins’ big quad meet was Sumanasekera, who posted 9.875, adding to her fifth place all-around performance.

Since Week 2 of the season, Sumanasekera has competed in every event. She has finished second in the all-around behind teammate Jordan Chiles three times. Sumanasekera is the highest nationally ranked freshmen at No. 22, with a National Qualifying Score of 39.375.

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In elite competition, Sumanasekera and Eichman were teammates. Their coach at World Champions, Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, knew they would both have immediate success at the college level from the moment she started coaching them.

“You’re only able to be successful and healthy if you’re doing everything you can in the gym and outside the gym,” she said. “[They] learned how to manage their time and their recovery and their training.”

Canqueteau-Landi misses coaching them, but she is excited to see them succeed.

UCLA gymnast Tiana Sumanasekera competes on the beam during the Big Fours meet held at Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 27.

UCLA gymnast Tiana Sumanasekera competes on the beam during the Big Fours meet held at Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 27.

(Etienne Laurent/For The Times)

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“They’re always willing to do more and they also have a really good sense of humor, it’s always easier to work with athletes that want to laugh and don’t take themselves too seriously,” she said.

Canqueteau-Landi is the head coach at the University of Georgia and there is a chance she could reunite with her former athletes during the national championships if both teams advance.

“You want the student athletes to succeed because we all know how hard it is to be one,” she said. “But when it’s your former athlete, you want more for them.”

Following Sumanasekera in the floor exercise was Sullivan, whose performance earned her a 9.900, her second-highest mark in that event.

Throughout the season, she’s consistently participated on the vault, uneven bars and the floor exercise, averaging above 9.850 in all three of the events. She’s competed in the all-around twice, earning a season high of 39.325 against Stanford in March.

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During their final meet of the regular season, Sullivan earned event specialist of the week honors after winning vault with a 9.975 and earning two 9.900s during the Bruins’ victory over Utah.

While training with coach Marnie Futch at Metroplex Gymnastics, Sullivan tested herself to see what she was capable of.

“I think she even surprised herself with how much she was able to accomplish last season in the elite world,” Futch added.

After clinching the Big Ten regular-season title, UCLA will compete in the Big Ten championship meet Saturday, where the freshmen class will show its skills for the first time at the college postseason level.

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John Daly calls himself a ‘jacka–‘ after falling down desert hill during tournament

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John Daly calls himself a ‘jacka–‘ after falling down desert hill during tournament

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Golf great John Daly shared a hilarious moment that may have been more serious after watching a video he posted on social media, calling himself a “jacka–” in the process. 

Daly was in desert terrain at the La Paloma Country Club for the Cologuard Classic, when he was trying to hit a shot onto a green when he lost his footing.

As he tried to gain traction in the sand, Daly’s feet fell from under him, and he slid down a long desert hill. Multiple people got involved, voluntarily jumping down the hill to see if Daly was all right. 

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John Daly of the United States plays a tee shot on the first hole during the second round of the Cologuard Classic 2026 at La Paloma Country Club on March 21, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Daly left unscathed, but he did enjoy putting the theme music to the “Jackass” franchise over the video to share to the masses. 

“Bellyfloppin’ in the desert,” Daly captioned the video, while shouting out his caddie, Joel Cooley, who sprang to action to see if his partner was doing fine at the bottom of the hill. 

“On today’s episode of ‘jacka**’” was also seen on top of the video. 

BROOKS KOEPKA RUNS TO COMFORT YOUNG GILR HIT BY GOLF CART DURING HIS VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

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While he doesn’t usually show off his bellyflopping, Daly remains a key figure in golf.

John Daly of the United States plays his second shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the Cologuard Classic 2026 at La Paloma Country Club on March 20, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

He spends most of his time on the course for the Champions Tour, which is former PGA Tour players 50 years and older. His most recent round came on Sunday, where he finished tied for 29th with a 6-under tournament in the Cologuard Classic. 

Daly was just named the 2026 Ambassador of Golf Award honoree ahead of the Kaulig Companies Championship at the signature Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The award recognizes those making an impact on the course as well as in their communities off the course. 

“I’ve always loved this game and what it’s given me,” he said in a press release for the award. “Golf has taken me places I never imagined and introduced me to incredible people along the way. To be recognized with the Ambassador of Golf Award is truly an honor, and I’m proud to support the meaningful work being done here in Northeast Ohio.”

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John Daly hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the PNC Championship 2025 at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on Dec. 21, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Daly’s impact on the sport is quite iconic, whether it’s his monstrous drives from the tee box, winning the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth alternate in the field, or taking home The Open Championship in 1995 at St. Andrews, forever marking himself as a multi-time major winner. 

His larger-than-life personality has always been on display, even today in silly moments like these on and off the course. 

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Lauren Betts scores career-high 35 as UCLA powers past Oklahoma State and into Sweet 16

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Lauren Betts scores career-high 35 as UCLA powers past Oklahoma State and into Sweet 16

There were always going to be tears. In the final game at Pauley Pavilion for six UCLA seniors, it was going to be a stunning defeat or a cathartic release before the next step in the NCAA tournament mission.

It was the latter, as the decorated group of Bruins took their final stroll around the perimeter of the court and waved to the fans, tears glistening and smiles wide.

The top-seeded Bruins led wire-to-wire, beating No. 8-seed Oklahoma State 87-68 in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Monday night to advance to the Sweet 16. The Bruins will face No. 4 seed Minnesota on Friday in Sacramento.

One of UCLA’s seniors, Lauren Betts, put together the best game of her career with 35 points while shooting 15 of 19 at the moment her team needed it most.

“That’s really cool,” Betts said. “I mean, I can’t deny, like, that is really cool. I feel like the points, they really don’t mean anything to me. To me, like, I really just want to win games with this team. The fact that we won today is what matters most to me, and that we’re moving on to the Sweet 16.”

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UCLA center Lauren Betts fends off Oklahoma State players while shooting in the paint during the Bruins’ win in the second round of the NCAA tournament Monday at Pauley Pavilion.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

While UCLA (33-1) started much better than it did in the opening-round game, there were still elements to nitpick. The Bruins were outscored 21-18 in the third quarter, Oklahoma State (24-10) won the offensive rebounding battle and outside of Betts, the offense fell flat at points in the second half.

But with arguably the best post player in the country, the Bruins could overcome all of that, get their final Pauley moment and advance. It was the last time Gabriela Jaquez, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Kiki Rice, Gianna Kneepkens, Angela Dugalic and Betts will play on UCLA’s home floor.

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“I cannot wrap my head around that it was the last time,” said Jaquez, who had 10 points and seven rebounds. “That effort from Lauren, too. I’m super proud of her doing that tonight.”

UCLA has arguably the deepest lineup in the country, with four of its five starters averaging double-digit scoring and six WNBA draft hopefuls, but when the Bruins needed a scoring boost, the squad turned to Betts.

Betts scored 11 consecutive UCLA points in the last four minutes of the third quarter to put the Bruins back ahead by 19 while the rest of the offense went cold.

After building a commanding lead in the first half, they survived the lull.

“I think we just learned our lesson,” Betts said. “We don’t want another halftime with Coach Cori [Close] walking in there. We’re trying to avoid that at all costs. I think it starts defensively. Like, we’re going to score. Obviously, we know that. But I think just being the aggressors and taking things away is a really big point that we wanted to make this game.”

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UCLA did apply early pressure, jumping out to an 11-2 lead while the Cowgirls went the final 4:26 of the first quarter without scoring, going 0-for-8 from the field during that span. UCLA turned that into a 25-point lead and was up 46-26 at halftime.

UCLA guard Kiki Rice, left, fights for the ball with Oklahoma State forward Achol Akot during the Bruins' win Monday.

UCLA guard Kiki Rice, left, fights for the ball with Oklahoma State forward Achol Akot during the Bruins’ win Monday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

It was an inverse of the slow start against California Baptist on Saturday, when the Bruins held a measly 10-point lead at the half over the No. 16 seed.

“That was one of the takeaways after last game, everyone saw that,” said Leger-Walke, who had six points and a team-high eight assists. “We know that we play our best when we come out and hit first and be aggressive and take the game to them and not let it come to us.”

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The Cowgirls shot 51.4% from the field in the second half to stay within striking distance. But Oklahoma State’s leading scorer, Achol Akot (23 points), had four fouls by the start of the fourth quarter and had to spend much of the final period on the bench.

“Each time you get further and further in [the NCAA tournament,] teams are gonna get better and better,” said Rice, who scored 10 points. “So they came out in the second half fighting. We expected that. We knew that, but got some tough shots and just got to be able to weather the storm.”

Kneepkens, who finished with 15 points, made a couple of key shots in the fourth quarter to help revive the Bruins’ shooting, but it was still Betts’ dominant showing that kept UCLA well ahead. Of UCLA’s 87 points, 50 came in the paint.

UCLA’s next opponent, the Golden Gophers (24-8) advanced on a buzzer beater against No. 5 seed Ole Miss on Sunday. The Bruins beat Minnesota 76-58 on the road during conference play earlier this season.

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“They’re very confident,” Close said of Minnesota. “I fully expect it to be a great battle.”

The Bruins have to win four games before they could claim the first NCAA title in program history, and the road there only gets tougher. First it’s Minnesota, then a potential matchup with LSU or Duke for the regional title. Formidable No. 1 seeds Texas, South Carolina and UConn still loom on other portions of the bracket.

There is little time to reflect with such a perilous path ahead, but on Monday, there was the first sense of finality.

“My arm still hurts [from waving,]” Jaquez said with a laugh as she recalled acknowledging fans. “But I didn’t want to miss anybody.”

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Giants valued at $10.8B as Tisch family seeks equity transfer with Epstein investigation looming: report

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Giants valued at .8B as Tisch family seeks equity transfer with Epstein investigation looming: report

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As New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch and his siblings look to transfer an equity stake to a children’s trust, the overall value of the franchise has been revealed.

An NFL memo obtained by ESPN earlier this month found the Tisch family — Steve, Jonathan and Laurie — are seeking a transfer of their collective equity stake in the franchise to their children. The proposed stake was 23.1% of the team. 

The proposed transfer of equity values the team at $10.8 billion, according to Sports Business Journal, which would put a 23.1% stake at roughly $2.5 billion. 

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New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch arrives for NFL owners meetings in New York City, New York on Oct. 21, 2025.   (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

For comparison, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross sold 1% of his team to billionaire entrepreneur Lin Bin with the valuation at a record $12.5 billion. 

Julia Koch, a board member with Koch Industries, also bought a 10% stake in the Giants with a valuation at $10.3 billion in October 2025. 

GIANTS CO-OWNER STEVE TISCH, SIBLINGS LOOK TO TRANSFER EQUITY STAKE TO CHILDREN’S TRUSTS, NFL MEMO SHOWS

It’s also worth noting that the NFL memo stated, “Following the transactions, the Sellers will no longer own any interest in the Club.” 

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It is unknown if the transfer requests have anything to do with Steve Tisch’s name appearing in the Epstein files released by the U.S. Justice Department in January. His name appeared more than 400 times in the files, and while he said at the time he knew of Epstein, he denied visiting Epstein’s infamous island. 

Steve Tisch executive vice president of the New York Giants looks on before pre-season football game against the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 18, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

“We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy and investments,” Steve Tisch said in a statement on Jan. 31. “I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.”

The U.S. Justice Department released more than 3 million documents related to the Epstein investigation, which included email exchanges from April 2013 and June 2013 between Tisch and Epstein. Some of those exchanges appear to show conversations about women. 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in February the league would look into Steve Tisch’s association with Epstein. 

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“Absolutely we will look at all the facts,” Goodell said at a news conference in San Jose, California, during Super Bowl week. “We’ll look at the context of those and try to understand that. We’ll look at how that falls under the (league personal conduct) policy. I think we’ll take one step at a time. Let’s get the facts first.”

New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch during warms up prior to the National Football League game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants on Oct. 28, 2018 at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Tisch family has been involved in Giants ownership since 1991 alongside the Mara family, which founded the franchise in 1925. 

Fox News’ Chantz Martin and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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