Updyke, 71, Alabama fan who poisoned trees at Auburn, dies
Harvey Updyke, the Alabama football fan who made national headlines when he poisoned landmark oak trees at rival Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner after the Tigers beat the Crimson Tide in the 2010 Iron Bowl, died Thursday in Louisiana of congestive heart failure and coronary disease. He was 71. Updyke, a former Texas state trooper who named his son Bear after iconic Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, served six months in jail after bragging about the treepoisoning episode on a call-in sports talk radio show.
Tennessee: Football defensive end Darel Middleton no longer faces charges of domestic assault and public intoxication for a Feb. 29 incident in which he allegedly shoved his girlfriend and she scraped a knee. The 6-foot7-inch, 305-pound senior said he is receiving alcohol counseling.
George Washington: The university is discontinuing men’s indoor track, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s water polo, men’s rowing, sailing and men’s and women’s squash in an attempt to address an expected $200 million budget shortfall.
San Diego State: Basketball forward Matt Mitchell will return for his senior season after exploring his NBA draft chances. He averaged 12.2 points at 4.8 rebounds in 201920 and has 1,085 career points.
North Carolina State: Basketball forward D.J. Funderburk plans to return for his senior season after considering whether to leave for a professional career. He averaged 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in 2019-20.
Indiana: The football team resumed voluntary workouts after a two-week pause following six positive COVID-19 tests. The athletic department said it has conducted
480 tests, with 33 coming back positive.
Stanford: Basketball guard Tyrell Terry decided to keep his name in the NBA draft pool and skip his final three college seasons after averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 2019-20.
Virginia: No athletes tested positive for COVID-19 since the last results were released a week ago, keeping the total at four since workouts resumed.