Basketball:
Kim Mulkey, the coach of defending national champion LSU, has agreed to a 10-year contract worth about $32 million. This contract will set a record for the richest coaching contract in women’s college basketball. Mulkey has been with LSU for two seasons and has taken the program from missing the NCAA tournament three seasons ago to becoming the best in its sport. This is her fourth national title as a head coach, with the first three being at Baylor. During her time at LSU, she has achieved a record of 50-8 in two seasons and has secured NCAA tournament berths both years.
NBA:
New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III recently underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his meniscus after injuring his left knee during a workout. He is expected to return to “basketball activities” in 10 to 12 weeks. In addition to the surgery, Murphy received a biologic injection to reduce inflammation around the injured joint.
Baseball:
The Portland Sea Dogs’ game at Reading was suspended due to rain in the third inning. The game will resume on Friday with the Sea Dogs trailing 2-0. The entire nine innings will be played, followed by a seven-inning game. Carlos De La Cruz hit a two-run homer for the Fightin Phils.
Golf:
In the LPGA Kroger Queen City Championship at Cincinnati, Ruixin Liu of China posted a 7-under 65 for her best round of the year and took a one-shot lead. Liu had a strong start, with seven birdies through 13 holes. Her lone regret was a par on the 12th hole. She leads over Peiyun Chien, Elizabeth Szokol, Dottie Ardina, and Linnea Strom.
In the European Irish Open at County Kildare, Ireland, defending champion Adrian Meronk shot a solid 69. Rory McIlroy also shot 69. The lead is shared by Jordan Smith, Ross Fisher, and Thomas Bjorn, a 52-year-old Dane.
Cycling:
Juan Sebastián Molano of Colombia won the 12th stage of the Spanish Vuelta at Zaragoza, Spain. American rider Sepp Kuss maintained the overall lead for the fifth consecutive day. The upcoming stage of the race will include the Col du Tourmalet climb in France, a renowned challenge in the Tour de France.
Soccer:
During the European Championships, two-time champion France defeated Ireland 2-0 in Paris to extend its lead in its qualifying campaign. The Netherlands also won with a 3-0 victory over Greece to keep its chances alive in Group B. France has achieved a five-game winning streak and holds a nine-point lead over the Netherlands and Greece.