OFF AND RUNNING

Stanford star Brink declares for WNBA draft

STANFORD, CALIF.>> Stanford star Cameron Brink will finish her collegiate career this season and enter the WNBA draft.

The nation’s No. 1-ranked shot blocker announced her decision on social media two days after Stanford lost 74-61 to Southern California in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game in Las Vegas.

Brink could have returned for a fifth year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to athletes competing during the interruption from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Big 12 men’s and women’s tournaments to remain in Kansas City through 2031

KANSAS CITY, MO.>> The Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will remain at Tmobile Center through 2031, commissioner Brett Yormark said. He made the announcement shortly before Texas and Iowa State played for the women’s championship there for the first time Tuesday night. The women had long played down the street at smaller, antiquated Municipal Auditorium.

NHL

Rangers rookie Rempe suspended 4 games for elbowing player in the head

NEW YORK>> New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe has been suspended four games for elbowing New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head.

The NHL’S department of player safety announced the ban after a hearing with the rookie Tuesday. Rempe has gotten his first suspension 10 games into his career.

Flames renounce rights to draft pick after he’s sentenced for rape

CALGARY, ALBERTA>> The Calgary Flames have renounced their rights to draft pick Topi Ronni after the 19-year-old was sentenced in his native Finland for a rape that occurred when he was a minor.

Ronni’s Finnish Elite League Team announced Tuesday that he was given a one-year suspended prison sentence by the District Court of Helsinki. The team said it has terminated his contract. The Flames, who drafted Ronni 59th overall in the 2022 NHL draft, announced later they had dropped him.

NFL

Former Jaguars financial manager who stole $22M gets 78 months in prison

JACKSONVILLE, FLA.>> A former Jacksonville Jaguars financial manager who pled guilty to stealing more than $22 million from the NFL franchise through its virtual credit card program was sentenced to 78 months in prison.

Prosecutors said Amit Patel, 31, has returned $1.89 million, leaving his restitution tab at $21,132,454.40. Patel pled guilty in December to one count of wire fraud and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction.

TENNIS

Alcaraz wins at Indian Wells to make quarterfinals

INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. >> Secondranked Carlos Alcaraz avenged a previous loss to Fabian Marozsan, winning 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open.

A day after “lucky loser” Luca Nardi stunned No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the third round at Indian Wells, Alcaraz advanced easily over the Hungarian who ousted him from the Italian Open in May.

Alcaraz, the defending champion at Indian Wells, dropped the first set in his opening match this year but has lost just 12 games in the other six sets. Stefanos Tsitsipas wasn’t so lucky, losing to Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 6-4.