Marquette is projected to finish second in the Big East this season as Creighton sits atop the preseason poll. The league’s coaches tabbed Creighton to win with all 10 first-place votes, leaving Marquette just behind with 85 points and a narrow margin over UConn and St. John’s in the near-term pecking order. The poll reflects a mix of recent performance and anticipated impact players as the conference readies for Week 0 action.

Hattie Bray and Natalie Ring highlight Marquette’s recognition on the preseason all-conference list, with Bray earning a unanimous nod and Ring listed among the honorees. Bray’s 273 kills and .331 hitting last season, paired with 96 blocks and a .431 mark in conference play, underscore her two-way impact. Ring, hitting .290 with 2.62 kills per set and 24 blocks, rounds out MU’s top talent, combining offense with reliable defense and academic honors. Ava Martin of Creighton is the league’s preseason Player of the Year, reflecting her status as a premier attacker even as the Big East pends a 14-woman all-conference roster due to ties.

Marquette opens the Mendoza era with a Rainbow Wahine Challenge in Honolulu, facing Hawaii, San Diego, and Utah State. Hawaii and San Diego earned AVCA Top 25 votes, signaling a rugged non-conference slate that should test MU’s front and back rows early. The combination of Bray’s blocking/clutch efficiency and Ring’s scoring versatility, along with a loaded Creighton roster, promises a competitive season in which the Golden Eagles can thrive if the defense holds and the middles stay disruptive.

Andre Dixon has built more than a coaching résumé in Hartford. From UConn’s standout running back to a Giants practice squad stint and a bold shift into the training world, Dixon now leads Dynamic Human Performance (DHP), a multi-sport facility that serves youth through adults. DHP Day drew nearly 150 attendees, a sign the community backs the mission: give back, elevate Hartford, and push Connecticut athletes toward better fundamentals and athletic longevity.

The program has grown to seven staff with cross-sport expertise, including former UConn basketball and softball connections. Training spans football, basketball, softball, baseball, and lacrosse, plus small-group and one-on-one adult bootcamps. Dixon emphasizes personalized connections, servant leadership, and a culture that keeps clients returning Saturdays and beyond as they chase stronger bursts, faster cuts, and smarter routines.

This isn’t just a local gym story. Dixon’s arc—Notre Dame moment, UFL roots, and a community-driven enterprise—frames a blueprint where athletic talent translates into coaching and enterprise. The emphasis on community days, 2,000+ client files, and ongoing hiring signals a sustainable model for a mid-sized market showing real commitment to developing Connecticut’s athletic pipeline.

In a region hungry for programs that bridge youth sports and higher levels, DHP’s model could become a template for developing multi-sport athletes who translate into college-ready, pro-ready paths. Dixon remains “in the game through what I teach,” turning balling into mentoring and community impact while growing a durable enterprise that may light future CT dynamos.

Azzi Fudd’s Washington Nationals ceremonial first pitch became a lighthearted breakout moment, with the star admitting she’d never thrown a baseball before and practicing in the parking lot the night before. The video capture sparked playful banter, including Paige Bueckers’ candid reaction, underscoring a public, high-profile romance that has grown more open over the past year. The piece pivots to a compelling WNBA angle: a Dallas Wings rebuild could hinge on reuniting Fudd with Bueckers, a dynamic UConn backcourt that could reshape a franchise at the top of the 2026 draft. Such a reunion would bring elite scoring, high basketball IQ, and massive fan engagement, potentially flipping the Wings’ trajectory in short order and giving fantasy managers a fresh two-guard firepower target in a league that prizes guard play and shooting volume. Fudd’s ongoing basketball development remains the catalyst, with public interest translating into on-court upside and marketability that could elevate both players and the Wings in meaningful ways.

The multibillion-dollar House v. NCAA settlement marks a pivotal shift in college athletics, allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) for the first time. The $2.8 billion settlement addresses decades of antitrust claims against the NCAA and opens doors for direct payments to athletes starting in 2025, with a revenue-sharing cap set to increase annually. However, athletes remain classified as contractors, not employees, which affects their rights under federal law.

Connecticut's legislative changes have facilitated schools like UConn to participate in this new era of athlete compensation, leading to questions about fund distribution among sports. Though the settlement outlines a general percentage guide, many details remain undisclosed, leaving room for speculation on how schools will balance equity among male and female sports.