The Big 12 Conference announced Thursday that more than 200 athletes from member schools, including 14 from BYU, will be participating in the 2025 Big 12 pro day taking place next week from March 18-21 inside Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys on the campus of NFL franchise’s world headquarters.

Operated in partnership with the NFL, the second annual event will have nearly 300 NFL scouts and personnel on site to work out and meet with BYU and other Big 12 athletes vying for opportunities to begin the next chapter of their football careers in the NFL.

Coming off an 11-2 season and first-place tie in the Big 12 standings in 2024, BYU will have eight offensive players and six defensive players from its No. 13-ranked team last season showcasing their abilities for NFL personnel during the four-day event.

Cougar offensive players attending include offensive linemen Caleb Etienne, Brayden Keim and Connor Pay, quarterback Gerry Bohanon, receiver Darius Lassiter, and tight ends Keanu Hill, Mason Fakahua and Ray Paulo. BYU defensive players participting include defensive backs Jakob Robinson and Marque Collins and defensive linemen Tyler Batty, Isaiah Bagnah, Blake Mangelson and John Nelson.

The on-field player workouts portion of the schedule will begin at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, March 19 with the offensive linemen followed by defensive linemen and linebackers. Running backs and tight ends will kick off the on-field action on Thursday, March 20 at 9:15 a.m. followed by quarterbacks and defensive backs. Friday will be the specialists’ morning on the field.

The NFL Network will showcase the event with live coverage on Wednesday and Thursday from 12-3 p.m. CT. In addition to the live telecast with expert commentary and analysis, Big 12 pro day will also be featured within additional NFL Network programming and promoted across NFL+ and NFL digital and social channels.

In addition to the nationally televised workouts and interviews on the field, Big 12 pro day will feature the return of the Allstate Institute, which offers robust programming in dynamic leadership, branding and mental health to help prepare these future NFL athletes for life on and off the field. The second annual Allstate Women and Girls in Football Day will also return with a free clinic for Dallas-Fort Worth youth who are interested in growing their Flag Football skills. NOBULL will continue as the official shoe and apparel sponsor for all pro day participants.

Big 12 pro day is open to the public on March 19 and March 20 from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT with the March 21 session open from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Parking will be available in any of the public garages and lots surrounding The Star.

UVU star wrestler Terrell Barraclough earns No. 4 seed at NCAA Championships

The NCAA announced Wednesday the brackets for next week’s 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia. Utah Valley’s Terrell Barraclough is the No. 4 seed at 165. It’s the highest seed a Wolverine has had in the tournament since Demetrius Romero was the No. 2 seed at the 2021 NCAA Championships.

He will see a rematch from the first round of dual action, in which he defeated North Carolina State’s Derek Fields by decision 8-3. Joining Barraclough on his side of the draw include fellow Big 12 foes, No. 8-seeded Cameron Amine (Oklahoma State) and No. 9-seeded Cam Steed (Missouri).

Barraclough enters the NCAA Championships with an overall record of 27-2 and finished third at the Big 12 Championships last week. This season, he defeated No. 2 Peyton Hall (West Virginia), No. 7 Hunter Garvin (Stanford), Beau Mantanona (Michigan), Aiden Riggins (Iowa State), Amine, and Fields.

The 2025 NCAA Championships begin on Thursday, March 20, at 10 a.m. MT. All the action can be seen on the ESPN family of networks.

UVU’s Nelson named as finalist for national awards

Utah Valley junior guard Dominick Nelson has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 Lou Henson Award, CollegeInsider.com announced on Thursday. The prestigious award is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball.

Nelson has been instrumental in leading the Wolverines to an outright WAC regular-season championship, being named WAC Player of the Year, and earning First Team All-WAC honors. He is averaging 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, ranking among the nation’s leaders in free throws made (155, 30th NCAA, 1st WAC) and free throw attempts (220, 17th NCAA, 1st WAC). He also ranks third in the WAC in total points (471) and seventh in defensive rebounds per game (4.65).

The Lou Henson Award is named in honor of the legendary former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach Lou Henson, who won 775 games over a 41-year career and remains the all-time winningest coach at both programs. The award is annually given to the best player competing outside the power conferences and has previously been won by stars such as Trey Townsend (Oakland, 2024), Jordan Brown (2023), and Max Abmas (2021).

Nelson has also been named a finalist for the Riley Wallace Award, which recognizes the top Division I transfer in the nation. That honor was announced on Wednesday.

The winner of the 2025 Lou Henson Award will be announced at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.