On Wednesday night, 12 people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Professional athletes and organizationsΒ took to Twitter to offer their prayers and condolences:
Heartbroken. Thoughts and prayers are with the people of this community, and those that have lost loved ones.
Praying comfort and healing to those affected by this senseless shooting. Thank you to the first responders who put their lives on the line to protect and serve us every day. Thousand Oaks is my home; I will do everything in my power to help those in need of support.
My thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost loved ones last night in Thousand Oaks, CA!!!! ππΎππΎππΎπ― #LoveIsStrongerThanHateπͺπΎ
Our entire organization is heartbroken to hear about the senseless and terrible tragedy that occurred last night in Thousand Oaks. Our hearts go out to all the victims and their loved ones.
Texas pitcher Cody Howard celebrates after getting the last batter out, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis)
The No. 6 Texas Longhorns staved off elimination on Monday at the College World Series (CWS), and did so in dominant fashion with a 14-2 drubbing of No. 7 Alabama. In the most lopsided outcome thus far in Omaha, Nebraska, the Longhorns quickly jumped out to a 7-1 lead by the end of the second inning and never looked back.
TexasΒ has made a habit of registering double-digit runs this season; they’ve accomplished the feat 26 times, including previously against the Crimson Tide on April 17.
Texas, the most storied program of the six teams still left standing in the 2026 College World Series, is second overall in all-time wins (behind only Fordham) among Division-I schools, and is first overall in winning percentage. The Longhorns have won six national championships but are seeking their first since 2005.
They can’t bask in the glow of their 12-run victory too long, however. Because they lost their first game in Omaha β a 7-1 decision against No. 3 Georgia on Saturday β they will face another elimination game on Tuesday night against those same Bulldogs.
In order for Texas to advance deeper in this year’s CWS with the potential to play four elimination games in four consecutive days, it will need continued stellar performances from its pitching corps. If any team is equipped to stand up to the challenge, it’s the Longhorns. They’re ranked No. 12 in the nation in team ERA (4.05, third best among CWS teams), No. 4 in strikeouts per nine innings (11.7), and No. 3 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.45).
Starting on the mound for Texas on Monday, the first of those four possible elimination games, was Ruger Riojas. He had plenty of run support but didn’t need it as he tossed six innings with seven strikeouts, two walks and six hits.
Before his impressive performance in the do-or-die outing, Riojas was interviewed by CBN Sports.
“Without Him, I wouldn’t have life on earth,” he said when asked about Christ. “Being able to just be a guiding light of His and live by His example day in and day out, and just be able to use my talents as a light to spread my beliefs. It’s that simple.”
Riojas isn’t the only Texas pitcher to publicly speak about his Christian faith. Sam Cozart, the Longhorns’ star freshman closer who was recently named the NCBWA Stopper of the Year and Freshman Pitcher of the Year, also talked to CBN Sports.
“Jesus is my Savior,” the nation’s top reliever said. “He truly has saved me, and He’s given me the opportunity to see the good in people. … He’s allowed me to open up and be more open in my faith.”
Cozart revealed that he grew up attending church in High Point, North Carolina, and his grandfather was a deacon, but he’s grown tremendously in faith since arriving in Austin. Now, before every outing, he kneels behind the mound to say a prayer and draw a cross. And although Cozart hasn’t had an opportunity to make his CWS debut yet, he’s still seeking to glorify God.
“Jesus is the One that has given me, honestly, the strength to be able to continue to go out and pitch every single day,” he told Sports Spectrum at the CWS.
The pitcher Texas did turn to on Monday to close out the Crimson Tide was Cody Howard, who recorded the last two outs of the contest on a groundout and a strikeout. He too talked about how he incorporates his faith into his baseball gameday routine.
“When the national anthem starts, that’s my prayer time before the game,” the redshirt senior told Sports Spectrum. “It’s kind of just a moment of silence. And it’s really just cool to represent Him in a place like this.”
As Texas continues to survive and advance in Omaha, numerous Longhorn pitchers will seek to continue to point others to the only One who is worthy of all praise.
First pitch on Tuesday between Texas and Georgia is set for 8 p.m. ET.
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST HOSTED BY SCOTT LINEBRINK & JASON ROMANO, FEATURING MASON MILLER
Mason Miller is the stud closer for the San Diego Padres. He was originally selected by the Oakland A’s in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft after a college career at Division-III Waynesburg University and one year at Division-I Gardner Webb. He made his MLB debut in April 2023, and in 2024 was named to the American League All-Star team. In July 2025 he was traded to the Padres, and in 2026 he was named to Team USA’s World Baseball Classic roster.
Today on the podcast, Mason Miller joins Jason Romano and Scott Linebrink to talk about throwing 104 mph, his newfound stardom, finding identity outside of baseball, growing in his faith, what “Jesus Won” means to him, and the experience of being traded in 2025 from the Athletics to the Padres.
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
From 2012-2016, Harrison Barnes was a key piece of a Golden State Warriors team that went to the postseason four straight years and the NBA Finals twice. He averaged 33.0 minutes, 8.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in the 2015 Finals for the squad that won the world championship.
Now at 34 years old, he’s back in the NBA Finals for the first time in a decade, this time with a new team and a much different role. After starting 52 games during the 2025-26 regular season for the San Antonio Spurs, he’s made no starts this postseason and is averaging 8.5 minutes with no points during the Finals. His role now is more as the wily veteran helping provide leadership to a young Spurs team led by emerging stars like 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama, 21-year-old Stephon Castle and 20-year-old rookie Dylan Harper.
The Spurs are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014, and Barnes is grateful to have another crack at winning a title. Though much of the team’s core is young players with the majority of their career still ahead of them, he’s reminding his teammates not to take this opportunity for granted.
“This may be the last time both teams are in the Finals for a while. We have no idea,” Barnes said after shootaround on Friday, via Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
The Spurs will have to dig out of a 3-1 hole after surrendering a 29-point lead that eventually led to a 107-106 New York Knicks win in Wednesday’s Game 4, the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. If the Spurs are to come back, the leadership from Barnes could be a factor.
His teammates have already noted how valuable his presence is. As they navigate this deep playoff run early in their career, the wisdom provided by someone who’s been there several times is invaluable.
“Shout out to HB,” forward Devin Vassell told the Express-News. “It’s been great for us so far and just his wisdom and his knowledge being in so many different games, Game 7s, championship games, whatever the case may be. He’s been able to just kind of calm us down and just tell us kind of what to expect.”
After a decorated three-year career at North Carolina, Barnes was drafted by the Warriors in 2012 with the No. 7 overall pick and made the All-Rookie Team. He stayed with Golden State through the 2015-16 season, when the Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. He’s since played for the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings before joining the Spurs ahead of the 2024-25 season. His last playoff appearance before this season was in 2023, when he averaged 28.0 minutes and 10.7 points per game for the Kings during a first-round series loss to the Warriors.
Now in his 14th NBA season, the Ames, Iowa, native is relishing the opportunity to play in the Finals once again. He told KCCI in Des Moines, Iowa, that he didn’t expect to be back in the Finals this late in his career.
“There were a lot of years where we were missing the playoffs,” he said. “…To be here this year where we’re in the NBA Finals, it’s a very unique and special situation.”
Earlier this year, he played his 1,000th career NBA game. He said he attributes his longevity to “having a village and day-to-day work and commitment. Obviously, it starts with my faith, but also my wife, Brittany, being the rock for me,” he told KCCI.
Barnes’ faith in God has been central to his life and career, and he’s been open about sharing how important it is. He calls himself a βdevout Christianβ on his website, lists the Bible verse Acts 4:12Β inΒ his X bio, and writes “#IJNIP” (In Jesus’ Name I Play) in his Instagram bio.
“Money, fame, and talent can be the top priorities for most professional athletes, but for Harrison Barnes, itβs his relationship with God that comes first. He is a Christian,” his website says. “Ever since he was young he grew up in the church. His faith has always been a big reason why he plays.
“On the inside of his shoes he has TGBTG, which is βTo God Be The Gloryβ and he just plays for Him. β¦ He just realizes it is not his work, but His.”
Barnes’ faith began to take shape in high school, thanks in part to attendance at retreats, Sunday School and Bible studies. He even led some of those Bible studies.
“I wanted to leave an impact on the school, and I wanted Christ to be represented there,” Barnes told Iowa State Daily in 2009 after committing to play at North Carolina. “So I wanted to start that Bible study just to get a coalition of believers together and also integrate non-believers in there and just have that fellowship.”
He continued later: “I try to make [God] the center of my life and then just have that infiltrate all other spheres, such asΒ glorifying Him on the basketball floor with all the gifts that Heβs given me.”
The Spurs and Knicks continue the NBA Finals back in San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
UNC head coach Scott Forbes, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
The 2026 North Carolina Tar Heels and head coach Scott Forbes are hoping the baseballs bounce their way in the program’s 13th trip to the College World Series (CWS). North Carolina has fallen short in its previous 12 appearances in Omaha, Nebraska, the second-most appearances on college baseball’s biggest stage without a national title.
Now, with the perennial powerhouse Tar Heels back in familiar territory, Forbes believes this is the team that can finally break through and bring a national championship trophy back to Chapel Hill.
“I’m happy for them, because they get to go. I’ve been to Omaha before,” Forbes said in his postgame press conference Sunday after ousting USC in the super regionals. “I get to see the joy on these guys’ faces of coming back in here tomorrow and preparing to win UNC Baseball’s first national championship.”
North Carolina proved to be one of the best teams in the country all season, earning the No. 5 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. But after sweeping through the Chapel Hill Regional in three games, the Heels dropped the opening contest of their super regional with the Trojans. They staved off elimination with a 4-0 victory Saturday, but in Sunday’s winner-take-all Game 3, they found themselves trailing 3-1 with only four outs left to mount a comeback.
Two clutch doubles in the bottom of the eighth inning drew them to within one. Then a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth tied the game, setting up the heroics from junior outfielder Owen Hull.
Hull’s walk-off double sent the Tar Heels back to Omaha for the second time under Forbes and the second time in the past three years, the only program in the country to accomplish that feat. The win also marked North Carolina’s 50th win of the season and Forbes’ 250th career win. The longtime UNC assistant was named to the head coaching position ahead of the 2021 season after the retirement of legendary coach Mike Fox.
Since being elevated to head coach, Forbes hasn’t been shy about mentioning his faith in Jesus. He did it once again in Sunday’s press conference.
“I’d written a Bible verse on my card today, that no matter what β everything that I do β just make sure I do it like I’m supposed to do it through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m just thankful that He gave me the opportunity to be here and be around these guys. I’m the one that gets blessed by their presence,” Forbes said.
Moments after North Carolina punched its ticket to the 2024 College World Series, Forbes’ first as head coach, he made sure to deflect all praise that was sure to come his way.
“Itβs not them getting me to Omaha, itβs me hoping to get them. Thatβs been my prayer all year,” Forbes said in an on-field interview with Raleigh’s CBS 17 News. “I changed the thought process of how I coached in 2022 and I made a decision that, if Iβm a Christian believer, Iβve gotta coach through that avenue.”
βIf Iβm a Christian believer I need to coach through that avenue.
In that year of Forbes’ paradigm shift as a coach, he was featured in the Heart of a Coach Q&A in the Spring 2022 edition of Sports Spectrum Magazine. There, he spoke about how his faith affects his approach to his job.
“My faith in Christ impacts everything I do as a coach,” he said. “I try my best to make every decision through Him and coach so that others will hopefully see Him in me daily.”
He continued later, “Keeping perspective as to why I coach, I am challenged the most in making sure I remind myself daily that you win in many more ways than just the final score.”
Today and every day we honor and remember the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
North Carolina begins its CWS journey on Friday evening in a matchup with Ole Miss (41-21), which advanced past No. 4 Auburn to get to Omaha. In 2022, the last time the Rebels made it to the CWS, they left with a national championship.
