Ralph excited to lead Vandy

NASHVILLE — Shea Ralph said the possibilities that coaching the Vanderbilt women’s basketball program offered were too good to pass up, though leaving the University of Connecticut was very tough after investing in the Huskies as a player and later an assistant coach for a combined 13 seasons. And yet the chance to turn the Commodores back into a force was too good to pass up. “I’m not really looking at it as a rebuild, more like a revitalization … we’ve seen that it can be done here,” Ralph said Wednesday. “And I’m coming in here thinking that this is going to get done. And I’m just excited to be part of it, because I think it’s such an amazing opportunity.” Vanderbilt introduced Ralph, 43, during a virtual news conference Wednesday, a day after hiring her as the new coach for a program that has 26 NCAA tournament berths, 15 trips to the Sweet 16, five Elite Eight appearances and the 1993 Final Four on its list of accolades. However, the Commodores haven’t made the tournament since 2014. Ralph’s husband, University of Massachusetts Lowell coach Tom Garrick, was on staff at Vanderbilt from 2009 to 2015, and his experience gave him firsthand knowledge of what is possible at the only private university in the Southeastern Conference. When Ralph asked him for his opinion on the job offer, his answer was short. “He said two words: ‘No brainer,’” Ralph recalled. Asked if Garrick will be on her staff, Ralph said only that she has a short list.

› FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas announced Wednesday it has signed men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman to a new five-year agreement that could keep him with the Razorbacks through the 2028 season. The agreement, announced a month after Arkansas made its first NCAA tournament Elite Eight appearance in more than 25 years, will run from May 1 through April 2026 and includes the potential for a pair of oneyear automatic agreement extensions if the Hogs receive NCAA tourney bids “within the timeframe of the agreement.” Musselman will receive $4 million in annual compensation, with additional compensation available based on longevity and “success in the SEC and NCAA Tournament.” Musselman is 45-19 in two years at Arkansas and 155-53 in six years as a college head coach. This past season, Arkansas won 25 games, including 13 in the SEC to finish second in the league standings.

FOOTBALL

› CLEVELAND — As he considered his next stop in the NFL, Jadeveon Clowney said there was something about the Cleveland Browns that made them very appealing. “They’re winning,” he said. They are now, and Clowney wants to help them win it all. The 28-year-old defensive end signed a one-year, $10 million contract with Cleveland on Wednesday, joining All-Pro end Myles Garrett on the defensive line of a rising team looking to go even deeper in the playoffs in the 2021 season. Clowney turned down a multiyear offer from the Browns last year (he said his former agent didn’t want him to visit them), opting instead to sign for one season with Tennessee. Things didn’t go as he hoped with the Titans as Clowney was slowed by a knee injury that ended his season after eight games. Now, after surgery, he’s healthy, motivated and intent on showing he can still affect a game. “I can still dominate this league. I know that,” said Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft who starred with the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2018 and played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2019.

AUTO RACING

› DARLINGTON, S.C. — Darlington Raceway has partnered with tire manufacturer Goodyear to sponsor its spring NASCAR Cup Series event next month. Track officials announced Wednesday that the May 9 race will be called the Goodyear 400. It’s the first time Darlington has hosted a Mother’s Day weekend race since 2013. The raceway’s Southern 500 moved back to September in 2015. Last season, NASCAR held three Cup Series races at the storied South Carolina track — the first two in May as the circuit returned from its two-month stoppage due to COVID-19 and the last in September to start the playoffs. The Mother’s Day race will also be NASCAR’s popular throwback celebration, when cars feature historic paint schemes and several drivers and pit crews dress in vintage clothing. As part of the weekend, Goodyear plans to use lettering and logos on its tires it provided NASCAR in the 1960s and 1970s.