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From The GIST College Sports (hi@thegistsports.com)
Good morning!
Everyone loves college sports, even legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick, who’s reportedly interviewing for the UNC football head coaching job. Luckily, there’s a way to get your fix without coming out of retirement — just sit back, relax, and read.
— UNC women’s soccer sophomore forward Olivia Thomas, on winning the program’s 23rd national title on Monday. Thomas scored the game’s lone goal in the 62nd minute, helping the Tar Heels defeat Wake Forest 1–0 to secure the school’s first championship in 12 years. Back on top, baby.
Volleyball
🏐 How sweet it is
The GIST: After a whirlwind few days of volleyball last week, the field of 64 is already down to 16. That’s pretty sweet, but advancing to the next round would be elite. Here’s what to expect in tomorrow’s first four matchups. Let’s hit it.
No. 7 Missouri vs. No. 3 Kentucky, 1 p.m. ET: After a major second-round upset of No. 2 SMU, Mizzou will be looking to keep the magic going. That said, this is an SEC rematch of two previous meetings, with Kentucky coming out on top in both. Could the third time be the charm for the Tigers?
No. 4 Oregon vs. No. 1 Pitt, 3:30 p.m. ET: The Ducks and Panthers opened the season against each other way back on August 30th, with Pitt sweeping in a three-set victory. Since then, the No. 1 overall seed Panthers have lost just one match. Unreal, but perhaps the Ducks can quack up a stunner…
No. 6 Florida vs. No. 2 Stanford, 7 p.m. ET: The Gators took down No. 2 Kansas in five sets during the second round thanks to 33 kills (!!!) from Player of the Year finalist Kennedy Martin. Meanwhile, Stanford is led by senior and ACC Setter of the Year Kami Miner. That’s a whole lot of star power.
No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 1 Louisville, 9:30 p.m. ET: It wasn’t an easy second round for the Cardinals, who survived a five-set scare against No. 8 Northern Iowa, but senior libero Elena Scott kept them alive with 26 digs. The player to watch on Purdue? Second-round standout, junior outside hitter Eva Hudson. Bump, set, slay.
Football
🏈 Heisman hopefuls
The GIST: The four Heisman Trophy finalists were announced on Monday before the winner is named in a special ceremony this Saturday. Let’s get to know the players still in contention for the historic prize, which has been awarded annually to college football’s MVP since 1935.
Travis Hunter, Colorado: The overwhelming Heisman favorite and expected top-three NFL draft pick is undoubtedly one of the greatest two-way players of all time. As a wide receiver, he led the Big 12 with 92 catches and 14 receiving touchdowns (TDs), while also earning the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Get you a player who can do it all.
Ashton Jeanty, Boise State: The junior Broncos running back put together one of the best college seasons in history, leading his team to a No. 9 College Football Playoff (CFP) seed. Jeanty ran for an FBS–leading 2,497 yards, registered at least 125 yards in 13 consecutive games, and posted 29 rushing TDs, tied for the most in the nation.
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon: Oregon’s senior quarterback (QB) had a massive hand in the Ducks posting the only undefeated record in college football and nabbing the CFP’s top seed. Gabriel averaged a whopping 274 passing yards per game and threw 28 TDs compared to just six interceptions. Duck yeah.
Cam Ward, Miami: Another senior QB, Ward made school and national history this year with his 36 passing TDs, a high for Miami and college football as a whole. He was also the first Hurricanes QB to post seven straight 300-yard games — no wonder his squad had the nation’s highest-scoring offense.
Together With The GIST
🤓 The buck stops here
The GIST: Hunting for a new job? The GIST’s job board is your one-stop shop for the best open gigs in sports. Submit those apps to GIST-approved opportunities and still have time to enjoy your day-to-day.
The details: If you’ve ever dreamed of working in sports, this is the resource for you. Our job board features roles in every discipline across the industry: Sports betting? Check. Marketing? Check. Finance? Check. There’s truly something for everyone.
The application: Inviting more women and nonbinary folks into the industry is a surefire way to help level the playing field. Check out our job board today.
1️⃣ Class of 2025 No. 1 men’s recruit AJ Dybantsa commits to BYU
The 6-foot-9’ wing — who’s expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — announced his commitment yesterday. BYU notably beat out powerhouse basketball schools like Kansas, Alabama, and North Carolina to land the 2023 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year. The Cougars were projected to finish ninth in the Big 12 this season — go ahead and bump them up for next year.
✌️ USC standout JuJu Watkins named AP Player of the Week
It’s been a busy few weeks for the sophomore star, who signed an NIL deal with State Farm in November, and started appearing in their commercials last week. In addition to her growing list of endorsements, Watkins was named AP Player of the Week on Monday after she set a school record of nine (!!!) three-pointers in last week’s win over Cal Baptist. Now that’s some good juju.
🐺 UConn’s Azzi Fudd to miss tomorrow’s top-10 matchup against Notre Dame
The grad student Huskies guard suffered a minor knee sprain in Saturday’s win over Louisville and will likely be out for the rest of the week. Fudd’s status is day-to-day, including for tomorrow’s 7 p.m. ET rivalry game against sophomore Hannah Hidalgo and No. 8 Notre Dame.
- The Fighting Irish won last season’s meeting 82–67. Can Paige Bueckers and shorthanded UConn get revenge in South Bend?
Together With Playa Society
Looking to give the gift of drip this holiday season? Look no further. Trailblazing streetwear brand Playa Society is giving women’s sports the hype they deserve and serving up the most stylish merch in the game.
- From exclusive, limited-edition NY Liberty championship gear to their iconic “Female Athlete” tee, there’s something for everyone on your list.
Playa Society’s elevating women’s sports and, ahem, sleigh-ing all the way. Snag a piece for your pals (or for yourself!) this holiday season.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
💪 What to try
WNBA hooper and newest Golden State Valkyrie Kate Martin’s basketball workout. Get’cha head in the game.
🎧 What to listen to
“Not Gonna Lie,” Kylie Kelce’s new podcast where she’ll share her unfiltered takes on parenting, social media, women in sports, and more.
📕 What to read
The Christmas Clause: A Sweet Holiday Hockey Romance by Meg Easton. Read this warm and cozy novel along with The GIST Book Club us on Fable.
Today’s email was brought to you by Eden Laase and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Molly Potter. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Ops by Marga Sison and Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula. Head of Content Ellen Hyslop.