COLLEGE ATHLETES EARN DEGREES AT RECORD RATES

INDIANAPOLIS» Black athletes are earning college degrees at record rates, and it’s pushing the overall graduation rate higher and higher.

On Wednesday, the NCAA’s latest Graduation Success Rate report showed that 77 percent of black athletes received diplomas from 2014-17 and that 87 percent of all college athletes graduated. Both are all-time highs.

“As colleges and universities, we have a responsibility to prepare our students to excel both on and off the field of play,” said John J. DeGioia, the president of Georgetown University and chairman of the Division I Committee on Academics. “This year’s Graduation Success Rate is exceptional — the highest in history.”

While the overall rate is up one percentage point from last year, men’s basketball recorded a record high of 82 percent, up two percentage points from 2016 and women’s basketball matched its all-time high of 92 percent. Players in the Football Bowl Subdivision finished at 78 percent. All three increases were at least partly attributed to increases among black players in each sport.

The numbers jumped to 78 percent in men’s basketball, 73 percent in football and 90 percent in women’s basketball, and the overall rate among black athletes has improved by 21 percentage points since 2002.

Stephens boosts U.S. tennis team.

Sloane Stephens is back in the United States team for the Fed Cup final, and Victoria Azarenka is missing for Belarus.

That alone gives the early advantage to the Americans.

Stephens, who won the U.S. Open this year for her first major title, missed the opening two rounds of the international team competition because of a foot injury. But she is back and will be playing alongside CoCo Vandeweghe, Shelby Rogers and Alison Riske in the best-of-five series this weekend in Minsk.

Yoo leads by one stroke after a 65.

CHINA» Sun Young Yoo carded HAINAN, a seven-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Blue Bay LPGA tournament.

Yoo had seven birdies and hit 12 of 14 fairways in a bogey-free round at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Club. Xiang Sui of China had a 66 to hold second spot, one clear of five players at 5 under, including American Lizette Salas.

• R.J. Harper, who rose from a golf course marshal at Pebble Beach to head of golf operations at America’s iconic golf resort, died of pancreatic cancer. He was 61.

Gressel voted MLS rookie of year.

YORK» Atlanta midfielder Julian NEW

Gressel was voted Major League Soccer’s rookie of the year.

The German, 23, selected with the eighth overall draft pick this year after playing at Providence, had five goals and nine assists in 32 league games, the third-most assists for a rookie behind 12 by Andy Williams and 10 by Clint Mathis, both in 1998.

U.S. women beat Canada.

Kendall Coyne and Megan Bozek each had a goal and an assist and the United States hockey team beat Canada 4-2 in a physical game at the Four Nations Cup. Cayla Barnes and Alex Carpenter scored to help the Americans won their second game as they try to win this event for a third straight time and eighth overall.

Texas can pay most for Otani.

YORK» Texas, the New York Yankees NEW and Minnesota can pay the most to a young international amateur free agent as highly touted pitcher-outfielder Shohei Otani prepares to enter the market.

The Rangers can agree to a maximum $3,535,000 signing bonus from their pool that covers July 2 through next June 15, according to figures compiled by Major League Baseball. New York can pay $3.25 million and the Twins $3,245,000.