Jackson Free Press

Technology has the power to make nearly everything in our lives better. It also could have the power to make our sports better or at least provide in-game analytics that could change them for the better.

In two recent articles, the Toronto Star reported on ways in which the NFL and teams are using technology to try to improve the game.

In one article, it details how teams are using sound-producing footballs to cut down on fumbles. The ball beeps or whistles when a player is holding it in the correct way.

Players have to hold the ball at five fundamental points of pressure to cause the ball to beep. When done correctly, it beeps at around 80 decibels. This way, players can work on ball security in noncontact and contact drills. A player can have his career cut short if coaches deem that he has a fumble problem. Running backs, in particular, don’t want to get labeled as a player who fumbles.

Division II Northwood University coach Tom Creguer developed the new football, which he dubbed the “High and Tight,” or HnTv1 for short. The ball weighs 1.6 pounds more than the average game ball and costs $150.

Several NFL teams are already using this new ball, including the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints, among others. Several college and high-school teams are also using the High and Tight.

NFL teams aren’t the only ones using technology to improve the game, though. The league itself has decided to add custom computer chips to kicking balls, or “K balls,” during the preseason and in regular-season games on Thursday night.

These chipped balls will give the NFL Competition Committee valuable information next offseason to determine if the goal posts should be narrowed to make extra points and field goals more challenging.

Even with moving extra points back to a 33-yard kick, players still made 85 percent of their attempts. The league wants to make extra points count and add some excitement to the play, and narrowing the goal posts could be a solution.

The current distance between posts is 18 feet and 6 inches. In the 2015 Pro Bowl, the league used goal post at 14 feet.

There could be more advantages to chipped footballs, which the NFL could decide to use on every play in the future.

A ball with a chip in it could give officials a more accurate placement when the defense tackles the carrier. In games where officials question whether a player reached a first down or not, chipped balls would provide the right spot.

This technology could also determine if a player has crossed the goal line. This might help if a player is in a scrum, making the ball less visible to the officials.

Two things could hold back the use of chipped balls on every play.

Professional wrestling hit one of its high points with the Monday Night Wars between WWE, then known as WWF, and WCW. The battle between the two wrestling federations began in the mid-1990s and ended in 2001, when WWE bought WCW.

This was one of the golden eras in pro wrestling and featured some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Hulk Hogan, the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. After WCW folded, the product hasn’t had the same must-see-each-week feel.

During the ratings war between the two companies, WWE started the popular television series “WWE SmackDown.” While one of the wrestling corporation’s other popular offerings, “Monday Night Raw,” premiers live, “SmackDown” has been mostly pre-recorded.

In order to add some new fuel to the WWE’s ratings, “SmackDown” is now shifting to a live format and moving from its traditional Thursday night slot to Tuesday nights on the USA Network. In previous years, “SmackDown” was taped on Tuesday before being shown on Thursday.

This isn’t the first time “SmackDown” has shown live, but it is the program’s first long-term move to the format. While pre-recording shows has been a staple of the wrestling industry for a long time, the Internet has just about put an end to the process.

WWE is going to split their talent between “Raw” and “SmackDown” with a draft. This also isn’t the first time that the company has used a draft to move talent around.

The main problem with the draft is that few big names moved off the flagship show, “Raw.” One to four main-event talents were on “SmackDown,” but they normally showed up on “Raw” anyway.

If the WWE wants to make the now-live “SmackDown” a more successful show, the company will have to do a few things.

First, WWE will need to split the talent as level as possible. “Raw” can’t have all the big names with “SmackDown” getting the crumbs and having to build main-event stars.

Brock Lesnar is a good fit on “Raw” because it is the flagship show, and he has a limited number of appearance dates. John Cena, Randy Orton, AJ Styles or other recognizable names have to move to “SmackDown” to provide star power.

The WWE can and should break up the former members of The Shield. Current champion Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins can bring main-event status on either show. Once Roman Reign’s suspension is over, it might be best to leave him on “Raw.”

Another idea to help “SmackDown” out is to have that show, or as the WWE likes to say, “brand,” draft several NXT wrestlers. NXT is like the WWE minor-league system if you didn’t already know.

NXT performers such as Finn Balor, Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura would give “SmackDown” a must-see feel for fans who don’t have the WWE Network, which is currently the only way to watch “WWE NXT.”

Those are three of the biggest names ...

When you’re the defending national champions, everyone expects you to defend your title. Even the conference media.

As SEC Football Media Days came to an end today, the media predicted the University of Alabama to not only win the SEC West but reign as conference champions once again. Last year’s playoff winners were picked by a wide margin to win both the West and conference.

The Crimson Tide received 2,220 total votes to win the West, with 246 first-place votes. The Tide received 223 points to finish as conference champion.

Schools were awarded points on a seven to one scale.

The University of Tennessee is picked to win the SEC East with 2,167 total points and 225 first-place votes, but with 29 points, the Volunteers were picked third to finish as SEC champion. Louisiana State University is picked to finish behind Alabama to win the West with 1,984 total points and 76 first-place votes, and as SEC Champions with 59 points.

Defending SEC East champion University of Florida is picked to finish second in the East with 1,891 total points and 57 first-place votes. The Gators were picked fifth with five points to finish as SEC champions.

The University of Georgia is picked to finish third in the east with 1,860 total points and 45 first-place votes. In a strange twist, the Bulldogs were picked fourth with seven points to be SEC champions.

Rounding out the East is the University of Kentucky for fourth place with 933 total points but no first-place votes; Vanderbilt University for fifth place with 810 total points and two first-place votes; University of Missouri for sixth place with 807 total points and no first-place votes; and South Carolina University in last with 800 total points and two first-place votes.

Behind Alabama and LSU in the West is the University of Mississippi, picked to finish third with 1,479 total points and five first place votes; Texas A&M University, picked to finish fourth with 1,130 total points and three first-place votes; University of Arkansas, picked to finish fifth with 1,047 total points and one first-place vote; Auburn University, picked to finish sixth with 890 total points and no first-place votes; and Mississippi State University, picked to finish last with 510 total votes and no first-place votes.

Finishing out the picks for SEC champions is UM with four points and Texas A&M, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Arkansas with one point. Mississippi State, Auburn, Kentucky and Missouri received no votes to win the SEC championship.

There is a ray of sunshine for fans who don’t like how the media predicted this season. Only five times—Florida in 1994, 1995 and 2008, LSU in 2007, and Alabama in 2014—in the last 24 years has the media correctly picked the SEC champion.

A record 331 media members in attendance took part in the vote. The preseason All-SEC will be released on Friday.

Eastern Division (first place votes in parentheses)

School Points

Wednesday after the MLB All-Star game is without a doubt the slowest sports day of the year. Nearly every professional and college sports event takes the day off the day after the midsummer classic.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t any sports on TV today. But it does mean you will have to watch reruns, catch early games, media days or sports outside the country.

Of course, you can catch SEC Football Media Days on the SEC Network nearly all day long. Various networks such as ESPNU and the Longhorn Network have replays of college football.

If you are looking for live football, look no further than ESPN3 and north of the border. Canadian Football League action features the Ottawa Redbacks against the Toronto Argonauts.

FS1 has UFC Fight Night, McDonald vs. Linker starting at 6 p.m. The UFC just sold for $4 billion this week, and on a slow sports day, you can judge for yourself if it was worth the cost.

Of course if you can always watch ESPN’s coverage of the ESPY Awards.

The network began coverage at 4 p.m. with ESPY's Countdown and continues with ESPY's Roadblock and countdown at 6 p.m., which will lead you up to the start of the show at 7 p.m. on ABC.

WWE Superstar John Cena hosts this year’s ESPY Awards, so things could get interesting.

Will the crowd chant “Let’s Go Cena” and “Cena Sucks” just like at live WWE events? Is there a chance The Rock will show up and give the host a “Rock Bottom,” or if The Rock shows up, will the two trade verbal jabs?

Other WWE superstars might not be in attendance, with both WWE Raw and Smackdown broadcasting on the USA Network, which NBCUniversal owns, but other wrestling stars could show up, as the wrestling organization heads toward the draft on the new live Smackdown next Tuesday.

Before the start of this NFL season, the New Orleans Saints are celebrating 50 seasons of football. The team even has a website, saints50.com, for fans to explore the last 50 years of the franchise.

One of the best parts of the website is the timeline of past seasons. Each year is shown with the team's final record, where it finished in the standings and a link to that year’s roster.

This is great to show younger Saints fans about how bad the team was in those early years. It also gives some interesting facts about each season, including first Pro Bowl player, records and retirements.

In the team’s first season in 1967, the Saints finished with a 3-11 record. It wasn’t until 1979 that the team finished with its first .500 season, going 8-8. Tom Benson bought the team in 1985 for $70.204 million.

New Orleans finally had its first winning season in 1987 when the team went 12-3 under Jim Mora in his second season with the club. The Saints posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time with a winning season in 1988.

Of course, the 2000 season brought the team its first playoff win. Every Saints fan remembers the 2009 season for the Super Bowl win, another first in franchise history.

There is plenty to explore in the timeline, with some great moments in team history to relive or discover for the first time. It is interesting to see the players who were signed or drafted and the coaching changes throughout the years.

The timeline isn’t the only thing to explore on the website.

There is #Saints50 page with social media mentions for the upcoming 50th season. Posts from Facebook, Twitter and more are on a single page for fans to explore.

Fans can build their own Saints Rushmore of greatest players and coaches. They can be uploaded to the site to be shared with other fans.

A big sports debate is who are the best players and coaches for each team, and it is interesting to see other fans take on a topic that has no right answer. Fans can see rushmores from Twitter and Instagram.

Finally fans of all ages can relive the greatest plays in team history. Plays from 1967, when the team played at Tulane Stadium, to plays from the 2015 season are featured.

You can hover over a play and see a gif or play the entire play on the NewOrleansSaints.com website. Either way, it is a great way to spend a slow day at work or when nothing is worth watching at home.

It is a great way for fans to get ready for the upcoming season. Go check the site out even if you are not a Saints fan but love sports history.

Now that the four-day marathon that is SEC Football Media Days is underway, there are plenty of questions for every team. The media will get its chance at players and head coaches from Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi this week.

MSU players and head coach Dan Mullen will face sports reporters Tuesday, July 12. Mullen will have plenty to talk about while he is at the podium.

One of the biggest questions that he will face is how the university handled the Jeffery Simmons’ case. In case you missed it, Simmons was seen on video striking a woman who was involved in an altercation with his sister.

MSU allowed Simmons to enroll in school, but there were conditions placed on the player. The athletic program gave him a slap on the wrist with a one-game suspension.

Simmons, a five-star recruit from Noxubee County High School, will miss the game against the University of South Alabama. Mullen will have to answer questions on why the school let Simmons enroll and what steps they are taking to ensure that he doesn’t have a repeat of his behavior.

Finding the new replacement for Dak Prescott will also be a major focus.

After Mullen gets grilled about Simmons, attention at some point will turn to finding out who will be the next quarterback for the Bulldogs. Currently, it looks like Nick Fitzgerald is the leader for the top spot, but will that change between now and game one?

Mullen might get asked about new defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon and whether he will stay in the position for more than a year. MSU has hired six defensive coordinators in eight years, which is a lot of turnover for a coordinator job.

Other topics could include satellite camps and whether the Bulldogs will find their running game this season. Plenty of questions will be on MSU facing a rebuilding or down year, but expect Mullen to quash those questions.

UM Rebels coach Hugh Freeze doesn’t face the media until Thursday and probably hopes after four days, there will be some fatigue from those firing questions. Freeze is one of the few coaches that will get grilled.

The first topic he will face is the Laremy Tunsil situation. Unless you have been living under a rock, there is no way that you missed the former offensive tackle’s draft night drop.

UM is facing sanctions from the NCAA already over violations of the football program. Now, new allegations of Tunsil taking money from a coach might add to the program’s troubles. Freeze will do his best to answer questions carefully or deflect those questions. The Rebels are considered a program on the rise, but allegations of bending, if not breaking, the rules have dogged Freeze almost since his arrival in Oxford.

The Rebels will also face some law-and-order questions after defensive end Breeland Speaks and offensive guard Rod Taylor ran afoul with the law. ...

As the USA Track and Field Olympic Trials continue, more athletes with ties to our state have made the team. Earlier this week, the Jackson Free Press posted a story on athletes who made the team, as the track and field trials started last week.

Four more athletes either from Mississippi or with ties to our state have punched their ticket to Rio. So far, field events have been where the majority of athletes have made the team.

It seems fitting that that men’s pole vaulter Sam Kendricks punched his ticket to the Olympics on the Fourth of July. The current Army reservist, who was once a star at Oxford High School, won the event with a height of 5.91 meters, or 19 feet and 4 1/2 inches.

The second lieutenant starred at the University of Mississippi, where he was a two-time NCAA champion before becoming a professional. Cale Simmons who cleared a height of 5.65 meters, or 18 feet and 6 1/4 inches, for second and Logan Cunningham 5.60 meters, or 18 feet and 4 1/4 inches, for third will join him on the team.

Kendricks broke a meet record that Tim Mack set in 2004. Mack was on hand to root on Kendricks to break his mark.

Four years ago, Kendricks came to the trials to jump before he was scratched for jumpers who were ranked higher than him. Now, the 23-year-old is heading to the Olympics after disappointment four years ago.

In the men’s long jump, former Hinds Community College star Jeffery Henderson won the event, earning his place on the team. Henderson started at Hinds before going on to standout at Stillman College.

His jump of 8.59 meters, or 28 feet and two inches, was barely enough to take first place. Henderson will be joined in Rio with Jarrion Lawson, who jumped 8.58 meters, or 28 feet and 1 3/4 inches, for second and Marquis Dendy 8.42 meters, or 27 feet, 7 1/4 inches for third.

The Rebels will be well represented in Rio, as volunteer assistant Gwen Berry took second place in the women’s hammer throw. She just missed out on first place with a throw of 73.09 meters, or 239 feet and 9 1/2 inches.

Amber Campbell took first place in the hammer throw with a toss of 74.03 meters, or 242 feet and 10 1/2 inches, and Deanna Price took third with a throw of 73.09 meters, or 239 feet and 9 1/2 inches. None of the men threw far enough to meet the Olympic standard and must wait to see if they get an invite from the International Association of Athletics Federation, who may invite up to three athletes.

A perfect summer continues for Rebels star Raven Saunders. She already became a NCAA champion earlier this summer as a sophomore.

The 20-year-old is now heading to Rio after finishing second in the women’s shot put. Saunders made a throw of 19.24 ...

One way to tell that college football is just around the corner is the start of college-football media days. Nearly every conference holds media days where coaches and players answer questions about the upcoming season.

The biggest media days might be the weeklong event that the Southeastern Conference holds at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala. A massive amount of credentials will be given out as arguably the best football conference holds media days.

SEC media days kickoff Monday, July 11, with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey giving the State of the Conference address and fielding questions. Monday will also see Auburn University, Vanderbilt University and University of Florida coaches and players.

Tuesday begins with Steve Shaw, the SEC coordinator of football officials, as well as coaches and players from the University of Georgia, University of Tennessee and Texas A&M University. The second day will also see Mississippi State University head coach Dan Mullen, linebacker Richie Brown, wide receiver Fred Ross and defensive end A.J. Jefferson.

Day three features coaches and players from the University of Arkansas, University of Kentucky and University of Missouri. Wednesday will see the defending national champion, University of Alabama, take the podium.

SEC media days end on Thursday, July 14, as coaches and players from Louisiana State University and the University of South Carolina speak to the throng of sports reporters. The final day will also feature University of Mississippi head coach Hugh Freeze, quarterback Chad Kelly, tight end Evan Engram and defensive tackle D.J. Jones.

The SEC Network will televise all four days of the event Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., from Wednesday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from Thursday 9 a.m. to noon.

While the SEC stretches out their event through four days, the SWAC will hold a one-day event. The day after the SEC clears out of Alabama, the SWAC will meet at the Marriott in Birmingham.

In addition to players and coaches, SWAC Commissioner Duer Sharp, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at NRG Park Nina Jackson, Coordinator of Football Officials Harold Mitchell, Executive Director of Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl John Grant and other guests will be in attendance and available to the media.

New Jackson State University head coach Tony Hughes will be on hand with quarterback LaMontiez Ivy and defensive end Javancy Jones. Alcorn State University will bring new head coach Fred McNair along with quarterback Lenorris Footman and linebacker Michael Hurns.

Mississippi Valley State University returns coach Rick Comegy, who will be in attendance with wide receiver Booker Chambers and offensive lineman Alvin Soloman. Coaches. Players from the other SWAC teams will be in attendance, as well.

SWAC media day begins at 10 a.m. and will be streamed on the SWAC Digital Network. The conference’s official website, SWAC.org, will carry video and audio of the media day.

A good few great college football and NFL players have made a stop in Mississippi over the years to play in our junior and community-college system. Throughout the years, several of those teams have won national championships.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College was the first to win a national title way back in 1971. Since that first championship, 11 national champions have come out of our state’s junior and community colleges.

Four of the last five National Junior College Athletic Association national football champions have been Mississippi schools. East Mississippi Community College has won three of the last five national titles alone. EMCC has not only won three of the last five national championships, but it has also been a feeder to the SEC.

Both University of Mississippi quarterbacks Bo Wallace and Chad Kelly spent time at the little community college in Scooba, Miss., as well as University of Alabama defensive linemen Jarran Reed, D.J. Pettway and Quinton Dial.

With all the success of ESPN’s sports documentaries, it should come as no surprise that other media would want to cash in on sports subjects. Inspired by a GQ article with the same name, the film, “Last Chance U,” looks at the 2015 EMCC team—a team that is good enough to win a third straight national championship, though it didn’t in 2015.

Northwest Mississippi Community College did. A brawl that took place between East Mississippi and Mississippi Delta Community College ended up getting the Lions disqualified for the playoffs.

East Mississippi was up 48-0 on Mississippi Delta with 59 seconds before halftime when the brawl broke out. Earlier in the season, head coach Buddy Stephens was suspended for two games after getting into an on-the-field altercation with a game administrator in a 48-24 win over Itawamba Community College.

One of the players featured in the film is D.J. Law, who famously, or infamously, signed with both the University of Mississippi and the University of Utah on the same day. He is now at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Another player featured is John Franklin III, who started out at Florida State University before heading to East Mississippi. Franklin is now the favorite to be the starting quarterback at Auburn University this season.

Greg Whiteley, whose other works include “Mitt” and “Resolved,” is the director and producer of this film. The documentary will only be available on Netflix, and all six parts can be streamed on July 29.

Defending women’s long jump gold medalist Brittney Reese looks ready for Rio. The Gulfport High School star broke records as she made the U.S. track and field team.

Reese jumped 7.31 meters, or 23 feet, and 11 3/4 inches, which is just nine inches short of breaking the world record. She did tie the longest jump at Hayward Field, where the track trials are being held.

The former University of Mississippi standout also broke the Olympic trials record of 23 feet and 8 1/4 inches. She made the longest jump in the world since 2004 and the longest jump for an American since 1998.

Reese was still short of the world record of 24 feet and 8 1/4 inches and the American record of 24 feet and 6 3/4 inches , which the great Jackie Joyner-Kersee holds. Tianna Bartoletta, 2015 world champion, finished second in the event, and Shakeela Saunders finished in third. Those three should be a strong group for the American team in Rio.

So far, Reese isn’t the only Mississippian to make the Olympic team in track and field. Tori Bowie, former Pisgah High School star and Sandhill, Miss., native, punched her ticket to Rio in the 100 meters.

English Gardner won the women’s 100 meters with a time of 10.74 seconds. Bartoletta was second in the event.

With a time of 10.78, Bowie finished third, as she lost her first race in the 100 meters all year. A long jumper until 2014, the former University of Southern Mississippi star is one of the favorites to win gold in Rio in the 100 meters.

Next up for Bowie is to try and make the U.S. team in the 200 meters. She has run the fastest time in the 200 meters for an American this year with a time of 21.99 seconds.

While Reese and Bowie are heading to Rio, two other athletes with ties to Mississippi just missed out on making the team.

NCAA champion in the javelin Curtis Thompson set a new personal best of 271 feet and 11 inches. That left him five inches short of a qualifying mark for Rio of 272 feet and four inches. Thompson finished second in the event.

Cyrus Hostetler won the men’s javelin with a throw of 273 feet and one inch. The other two members joining Hostetler are Sam Crouser, who finished fourth with a throw of 256 feet and one inch, and Sean Furey, who finished 11th with a throw of 227 feet and 10 inches. Only Hostetler, Crouser and Furey had the qualifying mark to reach Rio heading into the event.

University of Mississippi star Craig Engels finished fourth in the men’s 800 meters, just missing third place and a spot on the Olympic team. Engles posted a time of 1:46.03, completing an impressive showing at the trials.

Clayton Murphy finished first with a time of 1:44.76, with Boris Berian in second with a time ...

Sending an email or text to an unintended recipient is something that has either happened to you or something that you fear. An email fail from the New Orleans Saints cost them a chance to add a player late last week.

When the Cleveland Browns cut quarterback Connor Shaw, his rights went on the waiver wire. The Saints put in a claim on Shaw, but instead of sending their intentions to just the league office, New Orleans emailed the other 31 clubs.

That email let the Chicago Bears know the Saints plan and claim Shaw instead. Chicago was awarded the rights to the quarterback due to having a worse 2015-2016 season than the Saints.

Shaw became expendable in Cleveland after the team signed Robert Griffin III and drafted rookie quarterback Cody Kessler and veteran Josh McCown to their roster. ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan was the first to report on the Saints email blunder.

Chicago might have had plans on claiming Shaw regardless before knowing the Saints intentions, or they could have played some gamesmanship on New Orleans. In addition to Shaw, the Bears now have starter Jay Cutler and backups Brian Hoyer, David Fales and Dalyn Williams.

New Orleans has stated that it would like to add another quarterback for training camp to go with starter Drew Brees, backup Josh McCown, brother to Luke McCown, and second year quarterback Garrett Grayson. The Saints will have to continue their search before camp opens later this month.

Former University of Mississippi cornerback Tee Shepard is one of six players eligible for this year’s NFL Supplemental Draft. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the annual summer draft will be held July 14 at 1 p.m..

Shepard is a former four-star recruit from Fresno, Calif., who originally signed with the University of Notre Dame in 2012 out of high school. He enrolled early, but a reported academic issue forced him to leave the school.

His next stop was Holmes Community College in 2012 and 2013, and he committed to Mississippi State University before flipping to the Rebels. Shepard missed the 2014 season due to a toe injury.

Shepard, who is deaf, appeared in the first five games of the 2015 season before announcing he was quitting football. He later alleged that the coaching staff cut his playing time due to the fact he was deaf.

Then came the announcement that he would transfer to Miami University in Ohio if he could graduate by May. Shepard’s graduation is now moot since he applied for and has been accepted into the supplemental draft.

Joining the former Rebel cornerback in the draft is long snapper Eddie D’Antuono out of Virginia Tech, defensive tackle Ra’Zahn Howard out of Purdue University, running back Jalen Overstreet out of Sam Houston State University, defensive end Cameron Walton out of Concordia College and wide receiver Rashaun Simonise out of the University of Calgary in Canada.

The format for the supplemental draft is ...

After a less-than-stellar freshman season at Mississippi State University, guard Malik Newman decided to test the NBA waters. Newman chose to return to school once it was certain that he wouldn’t get drafted late in the first round or early in the second.

Signs showed that Newman might not have heard his named called on draft night in either round.

As one of the top recruits in the nation and the top recruit in Mississippi, it was expected that the star guard would spend one season in college. Instead, he averaged just 11.3 points per game and only shot 39 percent from the field.

After withdrawing from the draft, Newman has ultimately decided to leave MSU. Newman informed ESPN that he will be transferring to the University of Kansas.

The Jayhawks, along with Kentucky, were one of several schools vying for Newman’s college commitment. The six-foot, three-inch playmaker decided on Kansas after trips to North Carolina State University, Western Kentucky University and the University of Oregon.

Currently, the starting Jayhawks guards are senior Frank Mason and junior Devonte’ Graham. Newman will have to sit out next season under the NCAA transfer rules.

In Mississippi tennis news, Jackson State University won the 2016 SWAC Men’s Championship, but the actions of a former coach have put the program in hot water with the NCAA. The Division I Committee on Infractions placed the program on one-year probation from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017.

The violations occurred when former coach Scott Pennington used an ineligible student athlete under the name of a student who was eligible to play. The NCAA cited that the former coach failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and knew the student wasn’t eligible to practice or take place in competitions.

Still, Pennington allowed the player to practice and reimbursed the student for travel-related expenses on at least two occasions. The NCAA determined that the student received impermissible recruiting benefits.

The NCAA’s other penalties and corrective measures include a public reprimand and censure of the university, a two-year show-cause penalty for Pennington from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, a $5,000 fine, and the forfeiture of any wins that the ineligible student athlete participated in.

Pennington committed these violations in 2015 before Lois Alexis replaced him. In her first season as the men’s and women’s coach, Alexis earned the honor of the SWAC Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year after leading the JSU men to a title.

*CORRECTION: In a previous version of this story, Mississippi State was incorrectly named the University of Mississippi State. Also, Malik Newman committed to MSU after Rick Ray was fired, not before.