Baylor settles long-running sexual assault suit

Baylor settled a years-long federal lawsuit brought by 15 women who alleged they were sexually assaulted at the nation's biggest Baptist school, ending the largest case brought in a wide-ranging scandal that led to the ouster of the university president and its football coach, and tainted the school's reputation.

The suit, first filed in June 2016, was one of several that were filed that alleged staff and administrators ignored or stifled reports from women who said they were assaulted on or near campus.

Among the early claims from some women in the lawsuit was that school officials sometimes used the campus conduct code that banned alcohol, drugs and premarital sex to pressure women not to report being attacked. Another previously settled lawsuit alleged Baylor fostered a “hunting ground for sexual predators.”

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

• Michigan State informed suspended football coach Mel Tucker that he will be fired without compensation for misconduct involving activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy in a sordid case that dates back more than a year.

“The notice provides Tucker with seven calendar days to respond and present reasons to me and the interim president as to why he should not be terminated for cause,” athletic director Alan Haller said in a statement released by the school.

If Tucker does not present “sufficient reasons to dispute” multiple contract violations, the school will fire him Sept. 26, three days after the program's Big Ten opener in what was hoped to be a bounceback year for the Spartans.

Tucker is in the third year of a $95million, 10-year contract and if he is fired for cause, the school would not have to pay him what's remaining on his deal.

Haller said the decision does not affect the ongoing investigation into Tracy's allegations of sexual harassment, which is being handled by the school's office for civil rights.

Tracy said Tucker sexually harassed her during a phone call in April 2022. Several months later, Tracy filed a complaint with the school's Title IX office and the investigation was completed in July. A hearing is scheduled for the week of Oct. 5 to determine if Tucker violated the school's sexual harassment and exploitation policy and a ruling could take up to 60 days.

Tracy's allegations were made public by USA Today earlier this month. Tucker, 51, who said he is estranged from his wife and has two children, said the allegations against him are “completely false.” Tucker insisted that the intimate phone call he had with Tracy was consensual and outside the scope of both Title IX and school policy.

The school, however, said the actions Tucker acknowledged were unprofessional and unethical. It told Tucker he is being fired for “breaches” in his contract and for engaging “in any conduct which constitutes moral turpitude or which, in the university's sole judgement, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt or ridicule upon the university.”

• Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said that senior safety Henry Blackburn has been receiving death threats since his late hit that hospitalized Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter.

Norvell said Blackburn, who's from Boulder, and his family had their address posted on social media. He added that police have been involved due to the serious nature of the threats.

• Nebraska lost top running backs Gabe Ervin Jr. and Rahmir Johnson to season-ending injuries, coach Matt Rhule announced. Ervin dislocated his shoulder and Johnson dislocated his hip in the Cornhuskers' 35-11 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday. Both will require surgery.

Mickelson admits gambling addiction, which hurt family

Phil Mickelson won't be betting on football this year — much less the Ryder Cup — saying in a lengthy social media post that he previously crossed the line from moderation into addiction and “it wasn't any fun.”

“The money wasn't ever the issue since our financial security has never been threatened, but I was so distracted I wasn't able to be present with the ones I love and caused a lot of harm,” Mickelson wrote in the post.

His public admission of a gambling addiction comes more than a month after renowned gambler Billy Walters wrote in his book that Mickelson wagered more than $1 billion over the past three decades and wanted to place a $400,000 bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup while playing for Team USA.

Mickelson denied ever betting on the Ryder Cup, which starts next week outside Rome.

Mickelson has been relatively quiet since Walters did a media tour in August for his book, “Gambler: Secrets from a Life of Risk.” He returns to competition this week with Saudibacked LIV Golf outside Chicago.

Walters said he formed a gambling partnership with Mickelson in 2008 that lasted until 2014.

Two years later, Walters was indicted in an insider trading case that partly involved stock tips that prosecutors alleged he passed to Mickelson. Walters says he never gave Mickelson inside information and could have avoided prison if Mickelson had only testified on his behalf.

Mickelson appears to reference Walters in his post.

“If you ever cross the line of moderation and enter into addiction, hopefully you won't confuse your enablers as friends like I did,” he wrote. “Hopefully you won't have to deal with these difficult moments publicly so others can profit off you like I have.

“But hopefully you WILL have a strong and supportive partner who is willing to help you through being your worst self, and through your worst moments like I have in Amy,” he said of his wife.

“I couldn't have gotten through this without her. I'm so grateful for her strength in helping us get through the many challenges I've created for us. ... Because of her love, support and commitment, I'm back on track to being the person I want to be.”

WTA returns to China

British qualifier Harriet Dart beat Jule Niemeier of Germany 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the Guangzhou Open as elite women's tennis returned to China after four years.

Tournaments were cancelled in China due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in 2020. The WTA then suspended its events in the country in December 2021 over concerns about Grand Slam champion Peng Shuai's well-being after the Chinese player made sexual assault accusations against former vice premier Zhang Gaoli.

CGR to run 5 cars in IndyCar

Chip Ganassi Racing is expanding to five cars for next year's IndyCar season to accommodate 18-year-old development driver Kyffin Simpson.

The expansion for Simpson will give Ganassi three rookies in next year's Indianapolis 500. Marcus Armstrong already won IndyCar rookie of the year this season, but is adding ovals to his schedule next year and will be an Indy 500 rookie. Same for Linus Lundqvist, who ran a street course, a road course and an oval as a replacement driver this season.

• Las Vegas forward Alysha Clark was selected WNBA Sixth Player of the Year.