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Ohio State is targeting Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork to become the school’s next athletic director, sources told ESPN.

The hiring process is in the final stages, per the sources, with a conclusion expected in the coming days. Sources told ESPN in recent days that officials had reached out to other finalists and told them they were no longer in the running.

Bjork’s expected hiring brings a paradigm shift for Ohio State athletics in the wake of the retirement of longtime athletic director Gene Smith, signaling a change in direction under new president Ted Carter, who began his tenure in recent weeks.

For years, the parlor game at athletic director conventions had been: Which one of Smith’s successful Ohio State proteges would replace him at Ohio State? There were always plenty of potential candidates who had worked under Smith, including Washington State’s Pat Chun, Pitt’s Heather Lyke, Utah State’s Diana Sabau and UCLA’s Martin Jarmond.

Carter’s targeting of Bjork indicates a preference for a fresh start over institutional knowledge.

Bjork would arrive having just fired Texas A&M football coach Jimbo Fisher, which came at the cost of the highest buyout in the history of the sport. Texas A&M owes Fisher more than $76 million of the fully guaranteed deal. Bjork did not hire Fisher but was athletic director when the contract extension that led to the buyout was issued.

In the wake of Fisher’s firing, Bjork executed an unartful coaching search that ended with the hiring of Mike Elko. It included a public courtship of Kentucky’s Mark Stoops that backfired, as Stoops ultimately ended up staying at Kentucky. Texas A&M is not expected to make a push to keep Bjork.

Bjork brings more than a decade of SEC experience. He worked at Ole Miss as the athletic director from 2012 to 2019 before being hired at Texas A&M. Prior to Ole Miss, he was the athletic director at Western Kentucky and before that, an associate or assistant AD at schools including UCLA, Miami and Missouri.

Ohio State looms as one of the top jobs in college athletics. Smith is set to retire in July after 18 seasons, during which he emerged as one of the sport’s most respected voices. Eight times during Smith’s tenure, Ohio State finished No. 1 in the Big Ten in the Director’s Cup standings.

Ohio State, which has 36 sports, has won 32 team and 117 individual national championships during Smith’s tenure.

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Canes’ Andersen, 35, secures deal before Round 2

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Canes' Andersen, 35, secures deal before Round 2

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract for next season, worth $2.75 million for the 35-year-old veteran.

General manager Eric Tulsky announced the deal Saturday, a little over 48 hours before his team starts the second round of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals.

Andersen could earn up to $750,000 in incentives for games played and his participation in a potential run to the Eastern Conference finals next season. He would get $250,000 for playing 35 or more games, another $250,000 for getting to 40 and $250,000 if the Hurricanes reach the East finals and he plays in at least half of the playoff games.

“Frederik has played extremely well for us and ranks in the top 10 all-time for winning percentage by an NHL goalie,” Tulsky said. “We’re excited that he will be staying with the team for next season.”

Andersen and the Hurricanes, the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division, advanced past the New Jersey Devils in Round 1 last week. They will meet the Capitals, who won the division crown, for the right to make the NHL’s final four.

Extending Andersen could give the team a goaltending tandem with Pyotr Kochetkov for less than $6 million combined.

Anderson, a Denmark native who previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs, has become coach Rod Brind’Amour’s most trusted option in net. He is expected to return to the starting role for Game 1 of the Capitals series after getting injured in the first round against New Jersey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sovereignty outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby in the slop on Saturday.

Trainer Bill Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also run on a sloppy track, when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified after a 22-minute delay.

This time, he knew right away.

Sovereignty won by 1½ lengths and snapped an 0-for-13 Derby skid for owner Godolphin, the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

Sovereignty covered 1¼ miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds.

Journalism found trouble in the first turn and jockey Umberto Rispoli moved him to the outside. He and Sovereignty hooked up at the eighth pole before Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado pulled away.

Baeza was third, Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth.

Rain made for a soggy day, with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and horse racing fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

FORT WORTH, Texas — Connor Zilisch, the 18-year-old driver already with two NASCAR Xfinity Series race wins, will miss Saturday’s race at Texas because of lower back injuries sustained in a last-lap wreck at Talladega.

Trackhouse Racing said Wednesday that its development driver will return as soon as possible to the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The team didn’t provide any additional details about Zilisch’s injuries.

Cup Series regular Kyle Larson will drive the No. 88 in Texas. After that, the Xfinity Series has a two-week break before racing again May 24 at Charlotte.

Zilisch, sixth in points through the first 11 races, was driving for the win at Talladega Superspeedway when contact on the backstretch sent his car spinning, and head-on into inside wall.

Zilisch won in his Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen last Sept. 14. He added another win this year at Austin, the same weekend that he made his Cup Series debut. He has six top-10 finishes in his 15 Xfinity races.

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