Latest North Carolina, South Carolina sports – FOX Carolina
ACC-PRESEASON PICKS
Clemson, QB Watson headline ACC’s preseason picks for 2016
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) – Clemson and quarterback Deshaun Watson are the preseason picks for Atlantic Coast Conference favorite and player of the year.
The reigning champion Tigers were picked on 144 of 191 votes released Monday from media members attending last week’s league media days. Atlantic Division rival Florida State was second with 39 votes, while Coastal Division favorite North Carolina was picked on seven.
The Tigers earned 148 votes as Atlantic favorite over FSU, followed by Louisville, North Carolina State, Boston College, Syracuse and Wake Forest.
The Tar Heels earned 121 votes as Coastal favorite over Miami, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Duke, Georgia Tech and Virginia.
Watson, who led Clemson to the College Football Playoff title game, earned 164 votes as player of the year. FSU running back Dalvin Cook was second with 18.
SUN BELT-MEDIA DAY
Sun Belt chief envisions stability despite Big 12 expansion
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson won’t rule out the possibility that the Big 12’s expansion plans affecting his own conference.
Still, Benson called the Sun Belt’s planned membership “perfect” in terms of geography. Speaking to reporters yesterday, he also stressed that he envisions a period of stability in which member institutions will enjoy budding regional rivalries and see their football programs prosper.
Football-only members Idaho and New Mexico State are leaving the Sun Belt after 2017. Coastal Carolina, now in transition from the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision, becomes a full football member in 2018. At that point, the Sun Belt will have 10 teams in seven Southern states: Alabama (South Alabama and Troy), Arkansas (Arkansas State), Georgia (Georgia Southern and Georgia State), Louisiana (Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe), North Carolina (Appalachian State), South Carolina (Coastal Carolina) and Texas (Texas State).
Stability is something the Sun Belt, now entering its 16th season as a Division I FBS conference, hasn’t had in a while. Five teams – North Texas, Middle Tennessee, Florida International, Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky – have left the Sun Belt since 2013. Since then, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State have joined, while longtime member South Alabama moved up to FBS in football and Coastal Carolina joined with its football upgrade now in progress.
HORNETS-TOBEY
Hornets sign 7-foot center Mike Tobey from Virginia
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – The Charlotte Hornets have signed 7-foot Virginia center Mike Tobey.
Financial terms were not disclosed Monday.
Tobey averaged 6.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16.3 minutes in four seasons at Virginia. He shot 62.2 percent last season, third best in the ACC. He won the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year as a junior.
Hornets general manager Rich Cho says Tobey impressed during minicamp and the summer league. He calls Tobey a “talented young big man with a lot of potential.”
HORNETS-SWARM COACH
Hornets name Noel Gillespie their D-League coach
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – The Charlotte Hornets announced that Noel Gillespie has been named coach of their new NBA Development League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.
Gillespie has more than 14 years of NBA experience, including the last six as a full-time assistant coach. His hiring was announced Monday.
Gillespie spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets. Before his time in Denver, he spent 10 seasons with the Phoenix Suns.
Gillespie, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, got his start in the NBA as a video assistant with the Indiana Pacers in 2001-02.
CAR-NASCAR-EARNHARDT
Earnhardt’s return to NASCAR could take more time
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Dale Earnhardt Jr. warned Monday his return to NASCAR could take longer than planned.
NASCAR’s most popular driver is scheduled to miss his third consecutive race this Sunday with concussion-like symptoms. On his weekly podcast, he said he will have another evaluation “soon” to see “what kind of gains we’ve made and get in front of my doctors . and let them tell me where they think I’m at and that will help us make the decision on what we’re going to do for Watkins Glen.”
Jeff Gordon came out of retirement to drive for Earnhardt on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Gordon will race again this weekend at Pocono. No decision has been made by Hendrick Motorsports about next month’s race at Watkins Glen.
NASCAR-SHR-XFINITY SERIES
Stewart-Haas Racing to field Xfinity Series team in 2017
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Stewart-Haas Racing will field an Xfinity Series team next season when it moves to Ford.
No driver or sponsor was announced Monday for the team, which will be full-time in 2017. SHR fields four full-time Sprint Cup Series teams.
SHR won Cup titles in 2011 with team co-owner Tony Stewart and in 2014 with Kevin Harvick. Stewart is retiring at the end of the season and will be replaced by Clint Bowyer.
The team has always fielded Chevrolets, but announced at the start of this year it will move to Ford next year. The change means Harvick and development driver Cole Custer are in need of teams to align with for lower-tier NASCAR races. Harvick is a frequent competitor in the Xfinity Series, while Custer races in the Truck Series.
PANTHERS-AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL PLAYER
Panthers sign former Australian Rules Football player
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – The Carolina Panthers have signed tight end Eric Wallace, a former college basketball and Australian football player who played the NFL version of football at age 14.
The team announced Monday that the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Wallace signed a three-year undrafted rookie contract worth the league minimum.
The Winston-Salem native played one year of basketball at Ohio State and three years at DePaul. While looking into basketball options overseas, he was approached about playing Australian Rules Football. He spent three seasons playing in Australia.
Earlier this month, Wallace approached Panthers wide receivers coach Ricky Proehl at the team’s training facility. After running the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, the Panthers signed him.
To make room on the 90-man roster, the Panthers waived wide receiver Kobi Hamilton.
JAGUARS-CALDWELL
Jaguars GM doing ‘homework’ by working out Greg Hardy
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell says he was doing his “homework” on Greg Hardy when he brought in the polarizing defensive end for a two-day workout and interview session last week.
Caldwell says he has “no imminent plans” to sign Hardy, a free agent who spent last season in Dallas. He adds that the Jaguars are “going to turn over every rock, but not at any price.”
Hardy had a tumultuous season with the Cowboys, one that started with a four-game suspension related to his domestic violence case in North Carolina. It also was marked by several disruptions that included a physical confrontation with an assistant coach.
Caldwell says the workout and interview were a chance to learn “the facts” and the “the truth behind everything that surrounds him and just do our homework.”
BKN-JORDAN-RACE-RELATIONS
Jordan gives $2 million; looks to build backs, police trust
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Michael Jordan is trying to help ease tension between African-Americans and law enforcement.
The NBA great and Charlotte Hornets owner said Monday he’s giving $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The aim is to help build trust following several shootings around the country.
Jordan says in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday that “as a proud American, a father who lost his own dad in a senseless act of violence, and a black man, I have been deeply troubled by the deaths of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and angered by the cowardly and hateful targeting and killing of police officers.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHALLENGE
Big 12, SEC expand Women’s Basketball Challenge to 10 games
The Women’s Basketball Challenge pitting teams from the Southeastern Conference against the Big 12 is expanding to 10 games this season.
The leagues announced Monday that the Challenge will be held from Dec. 1-4, split across five campus sites from each conference.
The games will include South Carolina at Texas in a matchup featuring two teams that finished last season ranked in the Top 10. Tennessee hosts Baylor, which ended at No. 4.
Kentucky, which wound up No. 12, hosts Oklahoma, which finished 24th.
The Big 12 and SEC split the four games played over the past two seasons, 2-2. The first Challenge was held in 2014 in Little Rock, Arkansas, and it moved to Oklahoma City last season.
NASCAR-DARLINGTON-POKEMON
Darlington: Ready, Set, Pokemon Go.
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) – Sprint Cup cars aren’t the only things that will go at Darlington Raceway this summer.
The track “Too Tough To Tame” is opening its gates Thursday for players of the “Pokemon Go” game and search for virtual characters inside the raceway.
Players will be charged $10. They’ll receive a $5 ticket to the Sept. 2 practice session for next month’s Southern 500. The other half of the admission price will go the track’s charitable arm, Darlington Shares.
Track officials have said they’ve seen cars slow down and stop outside the track seeking the game’s characters.
Players will park in the Darlington infield. Victory Lane serves as a gym in the game while Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon tire monuments are Pokestops behind the main grandstands.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
