COLLEGES
Changes to the schedule because of Saturday’s forecast of wintry precipitation, and thus hazardous driving conditions, are numerous. Here’s a look at some of the many:
Partially because William & Mary’s campus will close at 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday, the Tribe’s men’s basketball game against Hofstra on Star Wars Day has been moved up two hours to noon. It will remain on MASN.
The W&M women’s gymnastics team’s home opener, scheduled Sunday against Southern Connecticut State and Fisk, was canceled. The Tribe will now travel to West Chester in Pennsylvania for a dual meet on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
In men’s basketball, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced three time changes Saturday, all of which made games earlier: North Carolina at Virginia was moved two hours to noon and was moved to ESPN2, and the dedication of Tony Bennett Court at John Paul Jones Arena was postponed to the Feb. 21 game against Miami.
Virginia Tech at Louisville was moved 90 minutes to 2:15 on the CW, and Wake Forest at Duke was moved from 5:45 to noon on the CW.
A previously scheduled noon game, NC State at Pittsburgh, was moved to ESPNU at noon. Also, Christopher Newport’s game in Misenheimer, North Carolina, at Pfeiffer was canceled.
Two Apprentice games in Pensacola, Florida — vs. Urbe on Friday and vs. Westgate Christian on Saturday — were canceled.
In men’s volleyball, Saturday’s competition in Virginia Wesleyan’s invitational was moved up to 8 a.m.
In wrestling, Virginia’s home meet Saturday against No. 24 Stanford was moved up four hours to 1 p.m. at the Aquatics & Fitness Center.
COLLEGES
ACC teams head Directors’ Cup
The Atlantic Coast Conference was the top league in the fall portion of the Directors’ Cup all-sports standings. ACC members North Carolina (No. 1), Stanford (No. 2), Virginia (No. 3), Notre Dame (No. 5), Wake Forest (No. 8) and Duke (No. 9) all made the top 10.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Liberty picked to repeat in CUSA
Two-time defending champion Liberty was voted an almost-unanimous No. 1 among Conference USA’s 12 teams in a coaches’ poll. Louisiana Tech was placed second and Jacksonville State third.
Liberty placed four players on the Preseason All-CUSA team: redshirt senior infielder Savanah Whatley, redshirt junior catcher Savannah Jessee, junior pitcher Kaylan Yoder and junior outfielder Paige Doerr.
NFL
Cowboys hire former NSU aide
The Dallas Cowboys hired Christian Parker as their defensive coordinator; he had been coaching the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive backs.
Parker, 34, from Battlefield High in Haymarket, was a wide receiver and cornerback for the Richmond Spiders. He was an assistant coach for Virginia State (2013-14), Norfolk State (2015-16), Notre Dame and Texas A&M before landing NFL jobs with Green Bay, Denver and Philadelphia.
AUTO RACING
NASCAR Hall set for Friday inductions
The first champion of the NASCAR Cup Chase, the driver known as Mr. September and the fierce competitor dubbed “Mr. Modified” will take their places in the NASCAR Hall of Fame during induction ceremonies tonight in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Kurt Busch, 47, was elected in his first year of eligibility. Joining him as a Class of 2026 Modern Era selection is Mr. September, Harry Gant, 86.
Busch and Gant will enter the Hall with the late Ray Hendrick, a Richmond native who accumulated more than 700 victories in Modified and Late Model Sportsman racing from 1950-88. He is not related to Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, though Rick got his start on a pit crew for Ray, who became a mentor to him.
Track promoter extraordinaire H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler will be honored as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Wheeler died in August at age 86.