college sports

ACC Adds Stanford And Cal, Officially Killing Pac-12

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The presidents and chancellors of schools in the ACC voted Friday (September 1) to admit Stanford, Cal, and SMU to the conference in 2024. This brings the east coast powerhouse to 18 full members, with 17 participating in football. However, the move also officially kills any hope that the Pac-12 brand would live on. Stanford and Cal were two of the four remaining Pac-12 members following a mass exodus earlier in the summer. While some discussions were had about rebuilding the Pac-12, it appears that the two prestigious colleges had other ideas. Previous votes had failed. However, NC State flipped their vote to support the move.

“We are thrilled to welcome three world-class institutions to the ACC, and we look forward to having them compete as part of our amazing league. Throughout the evaluation process, the ACC Board of Directors, led by [University of Virginia] President [James] Ryan, was deliberate in prioritizing the best possible athletic and academic experience for our student-athletes and in ensuring that the three universities would strengthen the league in all possible ways. Cal, SMU and Stanford will be terrific members of the ACC and we are proud to welcome their student-athletes, coaches, staff and entire campus community, alumni and fans,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement.

Read More: Aaron Rodgers says that the Giants’ Jihad Ward is “making some shit up” about Hard Knocks clip

Pac-12 Dies As ACC Grows

As mentioned, the move leaves the Pac-12 as the Pac-2 heading into 2024. The only teams left in the conference at the time of writing are Oregon State and Washington State. Those schools had been in talks with the AAC, also known as The American. However, per ESPN‘s Pete Thamel, those talks have broken down as a result of the news coming out of the ACC.

It’s the latest move towards collegiate football adopting a superconference model. The Big 10 and ACC will have 18 schools apiece in 2024. Meanwhile, the SEC and Big 12 will each have 16 schools from next year. If the two remaining Pac-12 schools join the nearest conference, the Mountain West, they will push league membership. All this comes as the collegiate football season kicks off in earnest over the next few days.

Read More: Nebraska volleyball breaks record for highest attendance at a women’s sporting event

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University Of Nebraska Breaks Record For Highest Attendance At A Women’s Sports Event

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Volleyball is everything for the University of Nebraska. Long considered one of the sports powerhouses, the Huskers are five-time National Champions. While they haven’t won a title since 2017, the sport remains one of the biggest draws for the school. They once again proved that on August 30. The school broke the record for the biggest crowd at a women’s sports event. After months of preparation, the Huskers hosted a volleyball doubleheader on a specially constructed court at Memorial Stadium. The stadium typically serves as the home of the school’s football team. The official attendance was announced at 92,003, breaking the record set by a Women’s Champions League soccer match in April 2022. The previous US record was the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final between the USA and China.

“It’s incredible. I don’t have enough words to describe it,” Nebraska middle blocker Andi Jackson said. “We were walking out of the tunnel after the second set, and we heard on the speaker we had just broken the world record. Everyone was trying to stay locked in, but we were also so excited. I can’t describe how grateful I am to be a part of it.” The Huskers have started the 2023 season 4-0 and are currently ranked #4 in the country.

Read More: Simone Biles nabs career record after securing US Championship win

Nebraska Record Shows Proof That Women’s Sport Is Growing

“There’s a great business case and strategy around women’s athletics long term that maybe college athletics hasn’t embraced,” Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts said. “And we think here in Nebraska, long before I became the athletic director, we’ve significantly invested in women’s athletics. You’re seeing the result of that by seeing the success of the volleyball program and the fan base surrounding it.” Meanwhile, head coach John Cook said going through the tunnel into a sea of red made him feel like a football coach. The event was also nationally televised.

“I’ve been saying it’s so huge for little girls to get to see a women’s sport and volleyball being played on this big of a stage and having so many people invest in it,” Nebraska junior Lexi Rodriguez said. “When you’re little, you have big dreams and big goals. Having this to look up to is something that a lot of little girls will keep in the back of their mind when they’re pursuing the sport of volleyball.”

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NCAA Committee Recommends Scrapping Cannabis Ban

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An NCAA committee has proposed that marijuana be removed from the organization’s list of banned substances. Furthermore, the committee suggested that drug testing in college athletes should be strictly limited to detecting PEDs. The suggestion comes from the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports after Division II and Division III leadership asked the committee to investigate the issue.

The NCAA first implemented drug testing for championship events in 1986. Individual NCAA member schools are also expected to test athletes to ensure compliance with NCAA standards. Additionally, the committee suggested halting cannabis tests at such events until a final decision is made. That decision would likely be made this fall. For such a radical move to occur, legislation would need to be introduced and approved by all three NCAA divisions.

Committee Eyes More Progressive Drug Policy

Image showing the exterior of the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JANUARY 20: General view of NCAA headquarters exterior on January 20, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

The committee’s recommendation is the latest in a series of moves to better define the NCAA’s testing policy. In December, the committee noted that marijuana and its byproducts are not considered performance-enhancing substances. Additionally, they suggested moving toward policies that focused on the threats of addiction and marijuana use, as opposed to simply punishing its use. Furthermore, the committee raised THC detection levels to match those of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Practically, this means positive tests occur at a lower rate.

It’s not the only change that the committee is proposing and making. In another proposal, the committee recommended raising the threshold for the detection of hormone GW1516. Originally used in diabetes treatments, it was removed from general public consumption in 2007. However, contaminated supplements are rare but not unheard of. However, it remains to be seen whether these major changes will be accepted by the often archaic organization. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

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