Oregon defensive backs Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Terrance Mitchell were both recently named to watch lists for the same two prestigious awards. Yesterday, their names were put on the list for the 2013 Bronco Nagurski Trophy, which is handed out annually to the best defensive player in college football. Today, Ekpre-Olomu and Mitchell were honored on a more specific watch list: the Jim Thorpe Award, given each year to the best defensive back in the nation.
Mitchell, unlike Ekpre-Olomu, hasn’t appeared on any other watch lists this summer, so far. Ekpre-Olomu was honored on Monday with a spot on the watch list for the Bednarik Award, which is also given out to the best defensive player in the country.
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Former Oregon basketball player and coach Stu Jackson will be stepping down from his position as the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations, the league announced Wednesday. Jackson’s job involves “all oncourt and international basketball operations, including game rules conduct, discipline and analytics,” the NBA said in a press release. Rob Thorn was named the NBA’s president of basketball operations, a position he will officially get when Jackson leaves office on August 1. Jackson was named the VP of basketball operations six years ago.
Jackson played for the Ducks from 1974-76, and was an Oregon assistant coach from 1981-83.
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Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman won the National League Final Vote for next week’s MLB All-Star game, finishing ahead of Los Angeles’ Yasiel Puig. Many view this as a surprise given the hype around Puig, who has been one of, if not the, most electrifying players since he was called up to the big leagues over a month ago. Freeman, in fact, set the Final Vote record with 19.7 million fan votes. The previous all-time high vote total was 15.6 million set by Shane Victorino in 2009.
Freeman has a .313 batting average, 9 home runs, and a .392 on-base percentage this season. Puig, a Cuban defector, is hitting .397 with 8 HRs and a .429 OBP. However, Freeman has played in 79 games this year, compared to Puig’s 36. This is also Freeman’s third major league season, unlike the rookie Puig.