Azusa Pacific cuts football
Azusa Pacific University ended its intercollegiate football program after 55 years of competition in the NCAA and NAIA, director of athletics Gary Pine announced.
The decision was reached by the university’s President’s Cabinet with support by the Board of Trustees after discussions throughout the fall.
“This is an extremely difficult decision,” said Pine. “I love Cougar football, and it has meant a lot to all of us. Unfortunately, the longterm trends of college football in California have eroded the f iscal sustainability of many programs, ours included, and caused annual departmental deficits.”
Liam Coen, assistant quarterbacks coach for the Rams, will join the University of Kentucky staff as offensive coordinator, the school announced. Coen, 34, has been a member of Rams coach Sean McVay’s staff for three seasons. He was an assistant receivers coach in 2017 and 2018.
Gary Klein
Two of the seven Big Ten Champions Week games were canceled because of COVID- 19 outbreaks. The annual rivalry game between Indiana and Purdue set for Friday was canceled for the second time in two weeks and the third time this season. Michigan’s game at No. 16 Iowa on Saturday also was canceled. ... The Frisco Bowl scheduled for Saturday was called off because Southern Methodist was having COVID- 19 issues. The Mustangs were scheduled to play Texas San Antonio in Frisco, Texas. Texas San Antonio will instead play in the First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on SMU’s campus outside Dallas on Dec. 26 against an opponent to be determined.
Scott Boras, baseball’s most prominent agent, recommended that major league owners hire a chief executive to grow the game and allow Commissioner
Rob Manfred to focus on governing it.
— Bill Shaikin
Free- agent catcher James McCann signed a $ 40.6- million, four- year contract with the New York Mets. ... The Seattle Mariners acquired right- handed reliever Rafael Montero from the Texas Rangers. Seattle sent 17- year- old right- handed pitching prospect Jose Corniell and a player to be named to the Rangers for Montero. ... The
Rangers signed free- agent outfielder David Dahl to a $ 2.7- million, one- year contract.
Six months after a construction worker fell from SoFi Stadium’s roof and died, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited two companies for “serious accident related” violations in connection with the incident. Fabritec Structures and ZD Inspections received a combined f ive citations this month with total proposed penalties of more than $ 54,000.
— Nathan Fenno
Floyd Mayweather, who captured 11 world titles in five weight divisions and retired unbeaten, former heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, and Laila Ali have been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum.
Florida forward Keyontae Johnson spoke with family members and doctors and was able to FaceTime his teammates, his parents said in a statement released by the school. Johnson remains in stable condition at UF Health. He collapsed on the court during a game at Florida State on Saturday.