Princeton, n.j.
The league announced the rule change Wednesday.
The goal of the experimental rule is to limit kickoff returns, which account for 23.4 percent of concussions during games despite representing only 5.8 percent of overall plays. The Ivy League will evaluate the concussion and kickoff return data after the season.
The request was made to the NCAA as a part of the Ivy League’s overall review of concussions, which began with football in 2010 and has included eight other sports to date (men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, wrestling and rugby).
It will be used only in conference games.
“This experimental rule change is another example of the Ivy League leading the nation in concussion prevention,” Robin Harris, the league’s executive director, said in a statement. “Our data showed us that kickoffs result in a disproportionate number of concussions and this rule will allow us to assess whether limiting kickoff returns will reduce the incidence of concussions.”
The league adopted another policy originating with the eight head football coaches to eliminate to-the-ground (“live”) tackling in practices during the regular season, which will also go into effect this year. Changing practice rules does not require NCAA approval.
Finhaut-Emosson, Switzerland
Despite being a specialist in mountain stages, Quintana surrendered to the defending champion in the first Alpine leg of this year’s Tour — won by Russian all-rounder Ilnur Zakarin on Wednesday.
Froome made the most of a brutal final ascent to the artificial lake of Finhaut-Emosson to tighten his grip on the race and take another step toward a third title in four years at cycling’s biggest event.
“It’s been a very difficult Tour for Nairo,” said Froome, after the Colombian lost another 28 seconds. “He’s still a great rival and a big challenger for me, but he lost more time today. I think for him to re-enter into the game again he’s going to have to do a real good time trial tomorrow.”
Having already lost a considerable amount of time during the two first weeks of racing, Quintana was expected to be in the thick of the action in the Alps. Instead, he was powerless to do anything but watch when Froome accelerated with less than two kilometers left.
“My yellow dream is over, but I’m just 26, and the riders in front of me have more experience,” said Quintana, who finished twice runner-up at the Tour behind Froome in 2013 and 2015. “I have many years left to realize that dream.”
While Quintana struggled, Froome reasserted his superiority over his direct rivals in the sizzling heat that hit the Swiss Alps.
With four stages remaining before the finish in Paris, Froome leads Bauke Mollema by 2 minutes 27 seconds overall. Adam Yates is third, 2:53 off the pace and Quintana sits in fourth place, 3:27 behind his British rival.
Forward Brad Richards is retiring after 15 NHL seasons during which he established a reputation for offensive consistency and won two Stanley Cup championships.
From Prince Edward Island, Richards was a 10-time 20-goal scorer and finished with 298 goals and 634 assists for 932 points in 1,126 games in a career that included stops in Dallas and the New York Rangers and ended in Detroit last season.
Richards was voted the 2004 Conn Smythe trophy winner as playoff MVP in helping the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup.
He led the playoffs with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists), and set an NHL postseason record with seven game-winning goals.