Two from Area Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.

Following a standout three-year career for the West Texas A&M Lady Buffs, Canyon native Madison Parker has been named the West Texas A&M nominee for the 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

In addition to being a key player for the Lady Buffs, Parker also excelled in the classroom as a three-time Lone Star Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll selection while being named a WT Scholar-Athlete three-times. Parker has spent her free time helping out the local communities as she has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Snack Pack for Kids, Christmas Shoe Box, Highway Clean-Up and many more.

Another standout from the Texas Panhandle has been nominated for that same honor, Rebecca VanDijk of Nazareth and UT-Arlington.

VanDijk, a four-time Sun Belt All-Conference selection, finished as one of the all-time greats in UTA history on the court.

She is also entrenched in the program's efforts for community service. Helping the Mavericks win the SBC Community Service Initiative for three consecutive years as a member of the UTA SAAC Leadership Team, VanDijk has been active in giving back. She has accumulated countless hours in the community, serving as a part of the SAAC team as well as on her own with services that include visiting local hospitals, traveling to Africa and giving back in the Arlington community.

- The American League prevailed over the National League in the 89th All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Nationals Park 8-6. The game was a historic slugfest, as the two teams combined for an All-Star Game record of 10 home runs, breaking the old mark of six, set three times previously.

Aaron Judge of the Yankees got things started with a shot off Max Scherzer. Mike Trout, Willson Contreras, Trevor Story, and Christian Yelich followed with home runs of the their own. The seemingly decisive blow came off the bat of Mariners shortstop Jean Segura, who went deep in the eighth to turn a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 AL lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett came through with one out to tie the score at 5-5. That sent the game to extras, and in the 10^th, Astros teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer went back-to-back to put the AL up 8-5. Joey Votto would add a solo shot in the bottom of the frame, but the AL held on to win, 8-6. For his tie-breaking shot in extras, Bregman was named MVP.

As a result, the AL prevailed for the sixth straight year and for the second straight year in extra innings.

- It looks like Manny Machado will be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a package of prospects barring a last-minute snag in negotiations, USA Today Sports reported on Tuesday, hours before the 2018 All-Star Game.

According to the report, the Baltimore Orioles intend to complete the trade today, sending the 26-year-old Machado to the reigning National League champions for a package of prospects unless the Milwaukee Brewers or Philadelphia Phillies emerge with a better offer.

- Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy had plenty of compliments for Bushland’s Taylor Cornelius during Big 12 Media Days in Frisco yesterday.

Gundy said Cornelius will be the first-team quarterback for the Cowboys when preseason practice opens. He said things could change depending on what happens in the preseason with Cornelius and two other QB’s competing for the job.

The others are true freshman Spencer Sanders from Denton and Dru Brown, a graduate transfer from Hawaii.

Cornelius is a fifth-year senior and former walk-on and has the edge after taking the majority of snaps during spring drills.

- The NFL has reinstated Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory. He was suspended all of last season over multiple violations of the league's substance-abuse policy. The league said Gregory can join the Cowboys at training camp in California next week and will be eligible for games as long as he continues to meet the terms of his reinstatement. Gregory was suspended just before the Cowboys lost a playoff game to Green Bay during the 2016 season. It was his third suspension.

- The Golden State Warriors have signed head coach Steve Kerr to a contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.

An ESPN report at the end of June said the sides were finalizing an extension to make Kerr one of the NBA's highest-paid coaches.

The team has gone 265-63 in his four seasons at the helm, making four trips to the NBA Finals and winning three titles.

Kerr has battled health issues that have forced him to miss games over the past few seasons.