Big Ten announces Jim Delany will step down in June 2020

Jim Delany will step down as Big Ten commissioner when his contract expires in June 2020.

The 71-year-old has been commissioner since 1989 and established himself as one of the biggest movers and shakers in U.S. sports. He oversaw three expansions to increase Big Ten membership from 10 to 14 schools and conference revenues increased dramatically under his watch.

Delany became the Big Ten’s fifth commissioner when he succeeded Wayne Duke in 1989.

Delany expanded the Big Ten’s geographic footprint from the upper Midwest to the East Coast. Penn State began competition in the league in 1991. Nebraska joined in 2011 and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014. The addition of Nebraska led the Big Ten to split into divisions in football and play a conference championship game. The additions of Maryland and Rutgers led Delany to open a second conference office in New York.

NHL

TED LINDSAY DIES AT 93 » Ted Lindsay, the Hall of Famer who provided muscle and meanness on the Detroit Red Wings’ mighty “Production Line” of the 1950s and helped pioneer the first NHL players’ union, died Monday. He was 93.

Lew LaPaugh, president of the Ted Lindsay Foundation, which raises money for autism research, said Lindsay died at his home in Michigan.

Born July 29, 1925, in Renfrew, Ontario, Lindsay joined the Red Wings in the 1944-45 season. He led the NHL with 33 goals in 1947-48 and won the Art Ross Trophy in 1949-50 when he had 23 goals and a league-best 55 assists.

He finished his NHL career with 379 goals and 472 assists in 1,068 games, spending 14 of his 17 seasons with Detroit. With Howe and Lindsay centered first by Abel and then by Alex Delvecchio, the Red Wings won Stanley Cups in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955.

Lindsay retired following the 1959-60 season and focused on his automotive business. He came back for one more season with the Red Wings in 1964-65. Lindsay returned to Detroit as general manager in 1977 and remained in that role until 1980. During the 1980-81 season, he coached the team for 20 games.

College basketball

GONZAGA AND VIRGINIA HOLD ONTO TOP SPOTS IN AP POLL » Gonzaga and Virginia remain Nos. 1-2 in a week of big changes in the AP Top 25.

The Bulldogs received 42 of 64 votes after finishing an undefeated run through the West Coast Conference. The Cavaliers had 21 first-place votes and No. 4 Duke, which fell a spot, had the remaining one.

North Carolina and Tennessee both moved up two spots, to Nos. 3 and 5.

NFL

TEXANS PLACE NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE TAG ON CLOWNEY » Houston has placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on defensive end/outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney.

Houston will offer Clowney, the first overall pick in the 2014 draft, a one-year guaranteed contract for an amount based on position. Because Houston used the non-exclusive tag on Clowney, he can sign immediately or attempt to get an offer sheet from another team. If he is given an offer sheet, the Texans would have the chance to match it.