TERESA M. WALKER Sports Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

Vanderbilt running back Sedrick Alexander (28) celebrates his touchdown with teammates during the first half of an NCAA college football game against LSU, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Diego Pavia accounts for 3 TDs to lead No. 17 Vanderbilt over No. 10 LSU, 31-24

October 18, 2025

Diego Pavia threw for 160 yards and a score and ran for 86 yards and two more touchdowns as No. 17 Vanderbilt beat 10th-ranked LSU 31-24 to snap a 10-game skid against the Tigers. Vanderbilt never trailed in what was the fourth meeting since 1947 with both schools ranked in the AP poll. Vanderbilt beat LSU for the first time since 1990. The Tigers had some big plays with Garrett Nussmeier throwing for 225 yards and two TDs, including a 62-yarder to Zavion Thomas. Caden Durham also had a 51-yard run down to the Vandy 2 before the Commodores forced LSU to settle for one of four field-goal attempts.

FILE - North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) dunks against Memphis during the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic NCAA college basketball exhibition game Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill, File)

March Madness in October? Top programs using exhibitions to cash in and check team chemistry

October 16, 2025

The last weekend of October now looks like the second week of March Madness even though the games don’t count. The NCAA recently changed rules to allow more exhibitions without requiring proceeds to go to charity. This has led to more high-profile matchups between top programs before the season officially starts. The games provide a chance to test chemistry with rosters being overhauled every season because of transfers. They also provide a new revenue source for cash-hungry schools sharing revenue with athletes.

Memphis Grizzlies Head Coach Tuomas Iisalo talks with players before an NBA basketball preseason game against the Detroit Pistons, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Full-court sprints and inhalers: Grizzlies put their trust in Tuomas Iisalo to bring about a new era

October 13, 2025

Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo told the Grizzlies in exit meetings last spring to be ready to play faster when they returned this fall. Now they know just how fast Iisalo wants his Grizzlies moving both on and off the court. Guard Ja Morant says they might need inhalers, which should tell everyone what they need to know. Iisalo took over in late March and had little time to make many changes. The Grizzlies gave him the job after a first-round loss to Oklahoma City. The Grizzlies then spent the summer retooling the roster around Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Charleston Southern, Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

NCAA back in court over eligibility rules for Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia

September 16, 2025

The NCAA is in court over its eligibility rules with Tuesday’s hearing focused on Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. He is playing his fourth Division I season under a preliminary injunction. Attorney Rakesh Kilaru argues that the NCAA’s rules don’t violate antitrust laws and the association plans to enforce them. The appeals court’s decision won’t affect Pavia this season who also has an NCAA waiver through the 2025-26 academic year. Attorney Ryan Downton argues the rule limits the labor market by counting junior college seasons. The attorney also says Pavia plans to play in the NFL in 2026 while fighting for other junior college athletes to have the same opportunities.

Handful of college athletes sue NCAA over redshirt rule in case that could cover thousands

September 2, 2025

Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson and former Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager are among 10 plaintiffs suing the NCAA over its redshirt rule that puts restrictions on the five years the athletes have to practice, play and graduate from college. The class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee alleges the NCAA violates U.S. antitrust laws with how its redshirt rule covers playing time for athletes during five seasons of eligibility. The lawsuit includes seven other named plaintiffs and potentially thousands of current and former NCAA football, baseball and tennis players.

Fans cheer during a flyover before the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Race on for Bristol Motor Speedway to prepare for NASCAR after hosting the MLB Speedway Classic

August 4, 2025

A new clock started the instant the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Braves cleared the baseball diamond inside the infield at Bristol Motor Speedway. “The Last Great Colosseum” has to switch from hosting the MLB Speedway Classic and be ready for NASCAR’s return to the historic racetrack hosting a playoff chase race Sept. 13. Materials like gravel, plywood and 2×4 boards will be donated to help with the recovery from Hurricane Helene. Pit walls torn down for the MLB game will have to be rebuilt. The plan for this renovation is being ready for racing Sept. 7 and no later than Sept. 9.

Rod Bruchell installs signs outside Bristol Motor Speedway, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, in Bristol, Tenn., the day before the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Bristol Motor Speedway set to host Tennessee’s first MLB game with record crowd

August 1, 2025

Bristol Motor Speedway is ready to make history again by hosting the first Major League Baseball game in Tennessee. The stage or racetrack in this case has been set for Saturday night for the biggest crowd ever at a regular season baseball game at the MLB Speedway Classic Bristol Motor Speedway is ready to make history again by hosting the first Major League Baseball game in Tennessee. Seeing the venue on paper is one thing. What MLB has done tucking a baseball field inside the infield of the half-mile bullring at Bristol is impressive even with a Sunoco sign can be seen in one corner.

Nashville grows from ‘not a soccer city’ to hosting Club World Cup matches

June 9, 2025

Soccer fans in Music City once numbered so few that someone could recognize a car’s driver by the bumper sticker. Now? Don’t wave. Odds are that’s a stranger. Soccer has grown by leaps and bounds from the immigrants who played at a park decades ago through semi-pro ball to teams drawing only a diehard fans. That thirst for soccer helped Nashville go from an outside chance at a Major League Soccer expansion franchise to drawing the biggest crowd to see a match in the state of Tennessee in February 2020. Now Nashville SC will be hosting Club World Cup games at GEODIS Park in June.

Bubba Wallace puts on his helmet before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

NASCAR’s new $1M In-season Challenge starts with drivers focused more on winning races

June 2, 2025

Bubba Wallace sees NASCAR as having all the momentum possible right now with different media partners. Perfect timing then for NASCAR’s In-season Challenge to debut, right? Well, Wallace forgot that was about to debut even as he thinks this will be a way to get fans even more invested. Kyle Larson also didn’t realize NASCAR’s new in-season competition had its field set after the Cup Series race at the Nashville Superspeedway. Larson said he hadn’t seen any promotion of the competition. NASCAR announced this new in-season competition in May 2024. The next three races will seed 32 drivers for the competition starting at Atlanta on June 28.

Ryan Blaney races to first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the year at Nashville

June 1, 2025

Ryan Blaney kicked off the second half of the NASCAR season by running away down the stretch for his first Cup Series victory of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway. The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to victory lane in the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November. He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville.

TERESA M. WALKER Sports Writer.