admin – Page 29 – True Market Story

Graphite stocks and prices have experienced volatility in recent years recently due to bottlenecks in demand for electric vehicles, as graphite is used to create lithium-ion battery anode materials.

One major factor experts are watching is the trade war between China and the US.

China introduced export restrictions on certain graphite products on December 1, 2023, making it a requirement for Chinese exporters to apply for special permits to ship the material to global markets. In July 2025, the Trump administration in the US announced it would raise tariffs on battery-grade graphite imports from China to 93.5 percent.

Another trend that shaped the graphite market in 2025 was the increasing substitution of natural graphite with synthetic graphite in battery anode production; this comes in response to Chinese exports restrictions and US tariffs on natural graphite.

This led to much lower prices for natural graphite, and against that backdrop, many Canadian graphite stocks trended down. However, several graphite-focused companies have seen strong performances in the past year.

Below is a look at the year’s best-performing graphite stocks on the TSX, TSXV and CSE. Data was obtained on January 21, 2026, using TradingView’s stock screener, and all companies listed had market caps above C$10 million at that time. Read on to learn more about the operations and news of the top Canadian graphite companies.

1. Titan Mining (TSX:TI)

Year-to-date gain: 1,512.12 percent
Market cap: C$549.85 million
Share price: C$6.64

Titan Mining is a critical mineral mining and development company with zinc and graphite assets in New York, US. The company currently produces zinc concentrate and aims to become an end-to-end producer of natural flake graphite.

Its Empire State Mines (ESM) zinc operations include the ESM 4 mine, which restarted production in January 2018, along with six past-producing mines capable of supplying additional feedstock for its onsite mill.

In addition to zinc, the property also hosts the Kilbourne graphite deposit located 4,000 feet from the existing mill at its Empire Mines operation. A December 2024 maiden resource estimate demonstrates an open-pit inferred resource of 653,000 short tons of contained graphite from 22.42 million short tons of ore with an average grade of 2.91 percent graphitic carbon.

Throughout 2025, Titan focused on advancing its flake graphite demonstration processing facility at Kilbourne, with an initial capacity of 1,000 to 1,200 metric tons of graphite concentrate annually. This early production would be used for product qualification sales to defense companies and industrial companies in early 2026.

Construction of the demonstration plant began in May, and development continued throughout Q3 and Q4.

Titan announced in its Q3 results on November 5 that commissioning had begun and the facility was expected to produce its first graphite concentrate during Q4. Additionally, mining of the Kilbourne demonstration pit began in Q3, and the company had stockpiled 8,000 short tons of ore, with 500 short tons crushed for initial plant feed.

On December 11, the company announced that graphite processing had begun at the facility.

Titan released the preliminary economic assessment for the full Kilbourne project at the start of December. The operation is planned with a 13 year mine life and average graphite production of 37,438 metric tons per year. The study reports an after-tax net present value of US$513 million, an internal rate of return of 37 percent and a payback period of 2.69 years.

Then, on December 23, Titan said it had closed on a US$5.5 million financing package with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, which would be used to support accelerated resource drilling, metallurgical test work and engineering programs necessary for the completion of a 2026 feasibility study.

Shares in Titan Mining reached a high of C$7.09 on January 21.

2. HydroGraph Clean Power (CSE:HG)

Year-to-date gain: 1,336.73 percent
Market cap: C$1.11 billion
Share price: C$3.52

HydroGraph Clean Power produces cost-effective, high-purity graphene, hydrogen and other strategic nanomaterials.

Graphene, a pure carbon material extracted from graphite, has myriad potential applications in industries such as transport, solar cells, medicine, electronics, energy, defense and desalination.

HydroGraph has an exclusive license from Kansas State University to produce graphene and hydrogen via the organization’s patented detonation process. While lower-purity graphene is typically produced using natural graphite, HydroGraph’s patented process produces 99.8 percent pure carbon content graphene using acetylene and oxygen.

Much of HydroGraph’s news flow in 2025 centered on strategic partnerships.

Results from a research study conducted with Arizona State University demonstrated that the company’s HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene is well suited for ultra-high-performance concretes and 3D-printed structures.

In February, HydroGraph announced a technical collaboration with an unnamed global leader in synthetic fiber manufacturing to assess the potential of its graphene technology in high-performance fiber applications.

The following month, HydroGraph shared the launch of a line of advanced graphene dispersions developed in collaboration with battery materials and testing services company NEI. The products have the potential to be used to produce high-performance electrodes for use in energy storage solutions.

The company signed a letter of intent in April that could lead to a North American industrial gas supplier providing it with access to large volumes of high-purity acetylene, an essential feedstock will help the firm advance its plans to build a new graphene production facility in Texas with the capacity to produce over 350 metric tons of graphene annually.

HydroGraph launched its Compounding Partner Program in July with the goal of attaining commercial-scale production of its high-performance Fractal Graphene in thermoplastics. In August, the company announced a partnership with Hawkey Bio to supply graphene for use in its Lung Enzyme Activity Profile early lung cancer detection test.

Then, in September, HydroGraph signed a letter of intent with SEADAR Technologies to provide it with graphene material to coat current and future undersea products.

As for 2026, the company announced on January 6 that it had moved from a tier 2 to tier 1 member with the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre at the University of Manchester. The move will establish a HydroGraph lab in the center and increase access to its facilities.

HydroGraph reached a high of C$4.07 on October 31.

3. Focus Graphite Advanced Materials (TSXV:FMS)

Year-to-date gain: 394.12 percent
Market cap: C$45.47 million
Share price: C$0.42

Focus Graphite Advanced Materials is both a graphite miner and a battery technology company. Its wholly owned flagship Lac Knife high-grade crystalline flake graphite project is located in Northeastern Québec, Canada.

With a completed feasibility study, Lac Knife is one of North America’s most advanced graphite deposits. The company also holds Lac Tétépisca, the highest-purity graphite project in Québec.

In terms of battery technologies, Focus Graphite has a patent-pending proprietary silicone-enhanced spheroidized graphite technology that is designed to enhance battery performance and efficiency.

Throughout 2025, the company has reached several use-case milestones for graphite sourced from Lac Knife.

In mid-June, thermal purification testing on Lac Knife flake graphite resulted in refined concentrate to a purity level of 99.999 percent carbon, which Focus Graphite said “underscores (the company’s) potential to supply ultra-high-purity graphite material for nuclear energy applications, a market historically dominated by synthetic graphite.”

Graphite from the site was further validated in August, when it was used as part of nozzle components aboard Pluto Aerospace’s successful Dash 1 rocket Flight 003. The test was done to evaluate hypersonic performance and thermal resistance. The nozzle temperature exceeded 3,000 degrees Celsius.

The company said the collected data would be used to validate the performance characteristics of the graphite in high-stress environments for use in defense systems.

Then, on October 22, Focus reported that the anode material passed phase 1 battery validation conducted by Charge CCCV and American Energy Technologies Company. The independent lab tests confirmed near-theoretical electrochemical capacity around 371 milliampere-hours per gram, as well as strong suitability for lithium-ion batteries.

Shares of Focus Graphite reached a high of C$0.66 on November 3.

4. First Canadian Graphite (TSXV:FCI)

Year-to-date gain: 340 percent
Market cap: C$10.39 million
Share price: C$0.33

Formerly known as Green Battery Minerals, First Canadian Graphite is an exploration company advancing its Berkwood graphite project in Central Québec. The property sits adjacent to Nouveau Monde Graphite’s NPV Uatnam graphite project.

A June 2019 mineral resource estimate (MRE) demonstrated an indicated resource of 299,200 metric tons of graphitic carbon from 1.76 million metric tons of ore with a grade of 17 percent graphitic carbon, and an inferred resource of 250,200 metric tons graphitic carbon from 1.53 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 16.4 percent.

In April 2025, the company announced its name change to First Canadian Graphite from Green Battery Minerals.

Much of First Canadian’s focus in 2025 was on its corporate governance and financing. On August 26, the company appointed Florent Baril to its board of directors. Baril has more than 40 years of experience in project engineering and resource development and was also the co-author for the Berkwood project’s MRE.

Then, on November 18, the company announced its intention to open a hard dollar financing round for up to 1.5 million units to raise gross proceeds of up to C$225,000 for general working capital. It also stated that it would offer an additional 1.5 million flow-through shares to raise C$300,000, to be directed to exploration expenses at Berkwood.

In a follow-up on December 12, First Canadian said it was applying to the TSX for approval to increase the hard dollar financing to a total of C$740,000, consisting of 4.93 million shares.

The most recent news came on January 12, when First Canadian reported that it had initiated airborne electromagnetic (EM) and magnetic surveys over Berkwood, covering five high-priority targets, to assess the probability and scope of hosted graphite occurrences.

The release also said that the company staked an additional 125 claims, bringing the total to 315 claims covering 16,542 hectares. First Canadian noted it was reviewing the claims and may add additional EM flyovers of the new property area.

First Canadian reached a high of C$0.43 on January 12.

5. Northern Graphite (TSXV:NGC)

Weekly gain: 58.82 percent
Market cap: C$17.04 million
Share price: C$0.135

Northern Graphite is a flake graphite developer and producer. In Ontario, Canada, it owns the producing Lac des Iles mine and the construction-ready Bissett Creek project, and in Namibia, it owns the past-producing Okanjande graphite mine.

According to a February 2024 technical report, the company’s flagship Lac des Iles mine hosts an indicated resource of 213,000 metric tons of graphitic carbon, with an additional inferred resource of 106,000 metric tons.

According to the company’s 2024 results released on May 1, the mine produced 11,697 metric tons of graphite concentrate in 2024. Northern Graphite noted that the mine was closed for maintenance and repair between November and mid-January.

However, in its Q1 report released on May 30, the company said it expected the existing pit at Lac-De-Iles to be exhausted by the fall of 2025 and was seeking support from various levels of government for the funding needed to extend the mine life by an additional 8 years.

On August 26, that support came in the form of up to C$6.23 million from Natural Resources Canada. At the time, Northern Graphite said it would begin work to extend the pit as soon as it could to avoid putting the mine on care and maintenance.

However, due to a bearing failure at the mill, the company chose to place the mine and mill on temporary care and maintenance on November 20 to begin repairs and to prepare for pit extension in 2026.

“Rather than stopping the plant now and again in January, we decided to start the maintenance program immediately in order to avoid having two separate shutdowns,” Northern CEO Hugues Jacquemin said.

The company is also advancing several battery anode material facilities projects’ the Baie-Comeau facility in Québec, the Yanbu facility in Saudi Arabia and a processing facility in Northern France.

In mid-April, the company announced a partnership with infrastructure and business development company BMI Group to evaluate the feasibility of developing its Canadian battery anode material facility in a former paper mill in Baie-Comeau that BMI is developing as a hub. This was quickly followed by a letter of support from the Port of Rotterdam on April 23.

On November 3, Northern announced that its consortium with Rain Carbon Canada had received a research and development grant of up to C$860,00 under the Canada-Germany Collaborative Industrial Research Program. The project will focus on transforming low-value natural graphite fine fractions into high-performance, battery-grade anode material.

Most recently, on January 14 of this year, the company signed a term sheet with Obeikan Investment Group to create a joint venture to develop and operate the US$200 million Yanbu battery anode facility in Saudi Arabia. Once complete, the facility will have a production capacity of 25,000 metric tons of battery anode material per year. Obeikan Investment Group will have a 51 percent ownership stake, with Northern Graphite holding the remaining 49 percent.

Shares in Northern Graphite reached a high of C$0.355 on January 14.

Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

1 Min Read

Adrian Day: Gold “Nowhere Near” Top, Next Big Buyer Awakening

Adrian Day, president of Adrian Day Asset Management, shares his thoughts on gold’s latest price activity, saying the metal is still ‘nowhere near a top.’

In his view, its long-term drivers remain in place, and two new ones have now emerged.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

6 Mins Read

Sankamap Provides Update on Late Filing of Financial Statements

Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) (‘Sankamap’ or the ‘Company’) the Company and its auditor continue to work diligently toward the completion and filing of the Company’s annual audited financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 (the ‘Required Filings’). The Company has obtained approval from the Alberta Securities Commission to extend the Management Cease Trade Order (‘MCTO’) under National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders (‘NP 12-203’) until January 31, 2026. Sankamap confirms that substantially all audit work has been completed, with only one minor confirmation and customary completion procedures remaining. The Company is actively working to provide the outstanding items and is in contact with the relevant party. Subject to completion of these matters, the audit is expected to be finalized shortly.

The Required Filings were due to be filed by October 28, 2025. In connection with the anticipated delays in making the Required Filings, the Company made an application for a MCTO under NP 12-203 to the Alberta Securities Commission, as principal regulator for the Company, and the MCTO was issued on October 29, 2025. The MCTO restricts all trading by the Company’s CEO and CFO in securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect. The MCTO does not affect the ability of persons who are not directors, officers or insiders of the Company to trade their securities. The MCTO will remain in effect until the Required Filings are filed or until it is revoked or varied.

The Company expects to proceed with the filing of its interim first-quarter financial statements shortly after the Required Filings have been completed and submitted.

The Company confirms that it intends to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines described in NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly default status reports in the form of a news release until it meets the Required Filings requirement. The Company has not taken any steps towards any insolvency proceeding and the Company has no material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

For further information with respect to the MCTO, please refer to the Company’s news releases dated October 21, 2025, November 4, 2025, November 18, 2025, December 3, 2025, December 17, 2025, December 30, 2025, and January 13, 2026, available for viewing on the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Sankamap Metals Inc.

Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) is a Canadian mineral exploration company dedicated to the discovery and development of high-grade copper and gold deposits through its flagship Oceania Project, located in the South Pacific. The Company’s fully permitted assets are strategically positioned in the Solomon Islands, along a prolific geological trend that hosts major copper-gold deposits; including Newcrest’s Lihir Mine, with a resource of 71.9 million ounces of gold¹ (310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred).

Exploration is actively advancing at both the Kuma and Fauro properties, part of Sankamap’s Oceania Project in the Solomon Islands. Historical work has already highlighted the mineral potential of both sites, which lie along a highly prospective copper and gold-bearing trend, suggesting the possibility of further, yet-to-be-discovered deposits.

At Kuma, the property is believed to host an underexplored and largely untested porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) system. Historical rock chip sampling has returned consistently elevated gold values above 0.5 g/t Au, including a standout sample assaying 11.7% Cu and 13.5 g/t Au²; underscoring the area’s significant potential.

At Fauro, particularly at the Meriguna Target, historical trenching has returned highly encouraging results, including 8.0 meters at 27.95 g/t Au and 14.0 meters at 8.94 g/t Au³. Complementing these results are exceptional grab sample assays, including historical values of up to 173 g/t Au³, along with recent sampling by Sankamap at the Kiovakase Target, which returned numerous high-grade copper values, reaching up to 4.09% Cu. In addition, limited historical shallow drilling intersected 35.0 meters at 2.08 g/t Au³, further underscoring the property’s strong mineral potential and the merit for continued exploration. With a commitment to systematic exploration and a team of experienced professionals, Sankamap aims to unlock the untapped potential of underexplored regions and create substantial value for its shareholders. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under Sankamap’s profile.

1.Newcrest Technical Report, 2020 (Lihir: 310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred)

2. Historical grab, soil and BLEG samples from SolGold Kuma Review June 2015, and SolGold plc Annual Report 2013/2012

3. September 2010-June 2012 press releases from Solomon Gold Ltd. and SolGold Fauro Island Summary Technical Info 2012

QP Disclosure

The technical content for the Oceania Project in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person in accordance with CIM guidelines. Mr. John Florek is in good standing with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (Member ID:1228) and a director and officer of the Company.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

s/ ‘John Florek’
John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol
Chief Executive Officer
Sankamap Metals Inc.

Contact:
John Florek, CEO
T: (807) 228-3531
E: johnf@sankamap.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to Sankamap and there is no assurance that the actual results will meet management’s expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘targets,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘plans,’ ‘expects,’ ‘may,’ ‘will,’ ‘could’ or ‘would.’

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding management’s expectations about obtaining the MCTO and completing the Required Filings within the anticipated timeline. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Sankamap does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements or information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company’s continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281882

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

3 Mins Read

Hecla Mining to Sell Casa Berardi Gold Mine to Orezone for Up to US$593 Million

Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) has agreed to sell its Casa Berardi gold operation in Québec to Orezone Gold (TSX:ORE,OTCQX:ORZCF) for total consideration of up to US$593 million.

The deal, announced on Monday (January 26), involves the sale of Hecla Québec, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hecla that holds the Casa Berardi mine and related exploration properties.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hecla expects to receive up to US$593 million through a mix of upfront cash, equity, deferred payments and contingent consideration.

Hecla will receive US$160 million in cash at closing, along with about 65.7 million Orezone common shares, representing about 9.9 percent of Orezone’s pro forma shares outstanding, currently valued at roughly US$112 million.

In addition, Hecla is set to receive US$80 million in deferred cash payments, split into US$30 million payable 18 months after closing and US$50 million payable after 30 months.

The remaining consideration is contingent and could total up to US$241 million.

It includes up to US$211 million in production-based royalty payments tied to future open-pit output, calculated at US$80 per ounce for the first 500,000 ounces of gold and US$180 per ounce thereafter.

Hecla may also receive a US$20 million payment upon the granting of certain permits, as well as up to US$10 million linked to a gold price exceeding US$4,200 per ounce.

The transaction is supported by Franco-Nevada (TSX:FNV,NYSE:FNV), which Orezone said is a sponsor in the acquisition.

“The sale of Hecla Quebec represents an important milestone in Hecla’s transformation as we concentrate capital allocation and operational focus on our world-class silver portfolio,” said Rob Krcmarov, president and CEO of Hecla.

For Orezone, the acquisition marks a major expansion into Canada and adds a producing gold mine to its portfolio. The company said Casa Berardi will complement its Bomboré project in Burkina Faso and will provide diversification in a jurisdiction known for stable mining regulations and established infrastructure.

“This Transaction marks a significant inflection point for Orezone as it adds a proven, cash-flow-generating asset to our portfolio, and provides asset diversification in a Tier 1 Jurisdiction,” said Patrick Downey, president and CEO of Orezone.

Casa Berardi is an underground and open-pit mine located in Québec’s Abitibi region that has been in operation since the late 1980s. It has produced over 3.2 million ounces of gold to date.

As of the end of 2024, its proven and probable reserves stood at 1.3 million ounces, with additional measured, indicated and inferred resources supporting future operations.

Casa Berardi’s gold production guidance for 2026 is between 83,000 and 91,000 ounces.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

17 Mins Read

Ranking all 30 MLB farm systems

The 2026 MLB season begins on March 25. That’s little more than two months away, and while everyone assumes the Los Angeles Dodgers are destined to three-peat, the bright side is that everyone is already looking to 2027 and beyond.

Looking so far ahead is difficult though. We don’t know how players will age. We don’t know what trades or free agent acquisitions will be made. We don’t even know whether or not there will be a lockout when the current CBA expires on Dec. 1 this year.

The only decent indication we have of each team’s future is their farm system. The teams with the best farm systems often become the best teams in the league soon after. The Chicago Cubs had one of the best in the league prior to their World Series title in 2016. The Tampa Bay Rays were near the top for much of the transition between the 2010’s and 2020’s. The Baltimore Orioles had the best for several years before finally breaking through in 2024, even if they fell apart just one year later.

So, looking ahead to the second half of the decade, which teams are set for contention? Here’s every MLB team’s farm system ranked from worst to best entering the 2026 season.

Power ranking all 30 MLB farm systems

*Prospect rankings listed via MLB.com

30) San Diego Padres

Top 5 prospects:

C Ethan Salas (No. 77 on MLB.com’s Top 100)
LHP Kruz Schoolcraft (No. 95)
RHP Humberto Cruz
LHP Kash Mayfield
RHP Miguel Mendez

The Padres basically gutted their farm system last year at the trade deadline, with their biggest prospects, Leo De Vries being shipped to the Athletics in the deal for Mason Miller. The Padres have some players who could wind up becoming franchise stalwarts in the future but outside of Salas, Schoolcraft, and Mayfield, there isn’t much to love about San Diego’s future.

29) Los Angeles Angels

Top 5 prospects:

RHP Tyler Bremmer (No. 91)
RHP Ryan Johnson (No. 96)
RHP George Klassen
LHP Johnny Slawinski
SS Joswa Lugo

The Angels reached for Tyler Bremmer at No. 2 overall, and he is widely considered their top prospect. That’s not a great combination unless Bremmer can break out and exceed the expectations he had prior to being drafted. Another one of the organization’s top prospects, Caden Dana, also experienced some setbacks a season ago. For a team prone to calling up their prospects much earlier than they should, that’s a very unfortunate situation and could further delay the team’s rebuild.

28) Houston Astros

Top 5 prospects:

2B Brice Matthews (No. 93)
SS Xavier Neyens
C Walker Janek
RHP Miguel Ullola
OF Joseph Sullivan

Losing Jacob Melton in the Brandon Lowe trade is a huge blow to the Astros’ farm system, which was already rated lowly to begin with. While Melton didn’t have a spectacular stint in the big leagues, slashing just .157/.234/.186 in 32 games for Houston, we’d yet to see how he could perform in a full season. Now, Houston is forced to lean on guys like Janek and Kevin Alvarez who have potential but have yet to establish themselves as legitimate fanbase-inspiring prospects.

27) Atlanta Braves

Top 5 prospects:

LHP Cam Caminiti (No. 72)
RHP JR Ritchie (No. 86)
SS/OF Tate Southisene
SS Alex Lodise
LHP Briggs McKenzie

The lack of depth in the Braves’ farm system is really showing here. The team had a great crop of young talent get called up a season ago including Drake Baldwin, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Hurston Waldrep, but outside of those guys, the Braves didn’t have much else to lean on in 2025. Now, heading into the 2026 season, the team didn’t do really anything to quell those concerns. Luckily for the Braves, most of their key players are locked up for a while, so the farm system isn’t much of an issue … for now.

26) Kansas City Royals

Top 5 prospects:

C Carter Jensen (No. 39)
C Blake Mitchell (No. 62)
OF/2B Sean Gamble
3B Josh Hammond
SS Yandel Ricardo

It’s hard to have faith in this team’s farm considering Jensen will be on the big league team sooner rather than later. Even with Jensen though, this team’s system lacks sustained star power. Sean Gamble doesn’t possess any attributes that really pop out of the stat sheet. Hammond likely won’t be ready for the majors anytime soon, and Ricardo is 18 years old and struggled in A-ball. There’s potential down the line, and Jensen is a stud, but they might have a dry spell of great prospects coming to the big leagues for a few years.

25) Texas Rangers

Top 5 prospects:

SS/3B Sebastian Walcott (No. 6)
SS Gavin Fien
RHP Jose Corniell
RHP Winston Santos
RHP AJ Russell

The Rangers have some potential with their group of prospects considering many of their young pitchers were highly touted, even cracking MLB’s top-100 prospect list before small stints of poor play and suffering injuries that derailed their 2025 campaigns. If guys like Santos, Alejandro Rosario, and even Emiliano Teodo can bounce back, there’s reason to be excited. Obviously, Walcott is a stud, but he’s the only sure thing the Rangers have currently.

24) New York Yankees

Top 5 prospects:

SS/2B George Lombard Jr. (No. 25)
RHP Carlos Lagrange (No. 74)
RHP Elmer Rodriguez (No. 97)
OF Spencer Jones (No. 99)
RHP Bryce Cunningham

Despite four players in MLB’s top-100 prospect list, the Yankees don’t have anyone outside of Lombard who has proven capable of sustaining such success. Spencer Jones smacked 35 home runs in Double and Triple-A last year, but his previous best was just 17. We’ll need to see more from him, Lagrange, and Rodriguez before we’re ready to rank the Yankees any higher.

23) Colorado Rockies

Top 5 prospects:

SS Ethan Holliday (No. 19)
1B/OF Charlie Condon (No. 61)
OF/SS Cole Carrigg
OF Robert Calaz
RHP Brody Brecht

Everyone lauds Ethan Holliday as this marvelous prospect. He is, but we can’t forget just how many lumps his brother Jackson has taken in the majors. He’s yet to really be an above average player for the Orioles. All that is to say that it might be some time before Ethan Holliday makes an impact for the club. That said, the team did pick up solid left-handed pitching prospect Griffin Herring at the trade deadline, and guys like Calaz and Carrigg have shown flashes of star potential if they can put all of their tools together.

22) Arizona Diamondbacks

Top 5 prospects:

OF Ryan Waldschmidt (No. 66)
OF Slade Caldwell
SS Kayson Cunningham
2B/3B Demetrio Crisantes
2B/OF Tommy Troy

Much of the Diamondbacks’ farm system lies in the strength of their 2024 draft haul. Waldschmidt has been an offensive juggernaut at every level he’s played in. Slade Caldwell has a great gap-to-gap swing which has allowed him to rack up extra-base hits in A and High-A ball. JD Dix hit .342 in rookie ball last year. And Daniel Eagen posted a sub-2.5 ERA in 97.2 innings of High-A last year. There’s reason to be optimistic moving forward, but it would be a shock to see many of these players make an impact at the big league level before 2027.

21) San Francisco Giants

Top 5 prospects:

1B Bryce Eldridge (No. 12)
SS Josuar Gonzalez (No. 82)
2B/SS Gavin Kilen
SS Jhonny Level
OF Bo Davidson

The Giants had legitimate depth in their farm system going into the 2026 offseason, then they added the No. 1 international prospect in Luis Hernandez as well. That’s a major get for a team that has struggled to produce home grown talent for the last decade. Eldridge is expected to be a massive bat right away for the Giants in 2026, and although the team lacks star pitchers in their farm, the team needs young position players considering Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers are all 29 or older.

20) St. Louis Cardinals

Top 5 prospects:

SS/2B/3B JJ Wetherholt (No. 5)
LHP Liam Doyle (No. 36)
C Rainiel Rodriguez (No. 55)
C Leonardo Bernal (No. 92)
LHP Quinn Mathews

What’s not seen in this top-five above is that the Cardinals have another strong catching prospect in their system in Jimmy Crooks, who appeared in 15 games for the Cardinals last season. The team has depth at a very key position and it’s kind of shocking that they didn’t make any moves by dealing one of those players. Even with down seasons for players like Tink Hence and Quinn Mathews, the Cardinals have more than a few prospects with stellar upside and could probably make a move or two to make themselves more competitive in 2026.

19) Washington Nationals

Top 5 prospects:

SS Eli Willits (No. 15)
C Harry Ford (No. 42)
RHP Travis Sykora (No. 49)
RHP Jarlin Susana (No. 87)
RHP Luis Perales

The addition of Harry Ford really propels this team forward. Without him, this is a team that has sunk a lot of assets into unproven talent with recent draft picks Willits, Petry, Harmon, James, and Sime each earning more than $2 million in signing bonuses.

18) Toronto Blue Jays

Top 5 prospects:

RHP Trey Yesavage (No. 26)
SS JoJo Parker (No. 43)
SS Arjun Nimmala (No. 68)
LHP Ricky Tiedemann
LHP Johnny King

The Blue Jays lost some depth at the trade deadline last year, dealing guys like Khal Stephenand Juaron Watts-Brown, but Trey Yesavage also put together a monster postseason run, still classifying as a prospect. One hit from a prospect pool is a big plus in my books as very few players are every sure-fire hits. Yesavage looked like a future star and that alone is enough to push Toronto up a few spots in these rankings.

17) Cincinnati Reds

Top 5 prospects:

INF Sal Stewart (No. 31)
C Alfredo Duno (No. 48)
SS Tyson Lewis (No. 76)
SS Steele Hall (No. 79)
RHP Rhett Lowder (No. 80)

Sal Stewart and Rhett Lowder have both flashed significant potential in limited MLB action for Cincinnati, but Stewart still only posted a 102 OPS+ and Lowder is coming off a rather severe injury, so it’s yet to be seen if either can create long-term impact.

16) Miami Marlins

Top 5 prospects:

LHP Thomas White (No. 22)
SS Aiva Arquette (No. 41)
OF Owen Caissie (No. 47)
LHP Robby Snelling (No. 51)
C Joe Mack (No. 70)

MLB is underrating Thomas White in my opinion. This man could be the top pitching prospect in baseball. He’s succeeded at every level, and even is just 20 years old. He made a brief appearance in Triple-A last season and was striking out 16.4 batters per nine innings. That is insane. Just nutty stuff. That said, I’m not sold on most of the other players in this system. Arquette didn’t wow anyone in his first year in the minors. Caissie was the big name in the Edward Cabrera deal, but he spent nearly two full seasons in Triple-A, didn’t show much improvement between 2024 and 2025 (but he did display a bit more pop) and then struggled in limited MLB action. There’s a reason the Cubs gave him away. That’s all I’ll say.

15) Chicago White Sox

Top 5 prospects:

OF Braden Montgomery (No. 35)
LHP Noah Schultz (No. 40)
SS Billy Carlson (No. 71)
SS/3B Caleb Bonemer (No. 73)
LHP Hagen Smith (No. 88)

MLB.com isn’t considering Munetaka Murakami a prospect I guess, which is weird considering they counted Roki Sasaki for the Dodgers a year ago. If Murakami was on this list, the White Sox would have legitimate top-10, maybe top-7 considerations. Still, even without their Japanese slugger, the White Sox have tons of solid talent scheduled to come up in 2026, 2027, and 2028. While they don’t currently have someone who stands out as a potential MLB superstar, they have a well of talent that should continue to improve the team for years.

14) Chicago Cubs

Top 5 prospects:

C Moises Ballesteros (No. 53)
RHP Jaxon Wiggins (No. 67)
SS/2B Jefferson Rojas
OF Kevin Alcantara
OF Ethan Conrad

Even without Caissie, I like this team moving forward. They were very well-prepared for the departure of Kyle Tucker in free agency, with Alcantara ready to take over the starting right field job. Ballesteros also flashed remarkable potential in 20 games with the Cubs at the end of 2025. Essentially, the Cubs don’t have a plethora of top-100 talent and lost Caissie, but they have a lot of pieces ready to fill in for anyone who might suffer an injury or get traded and they likely won’t see much of a dip in production.

13) Philadelphia Phillies

Top 5 prospects:

RHP Andrew Painter (No. 16)
SS Aidan Miller (No. 32)
OF Justin Crawford (No. 54)
RHP Gage Wood
2B Aroon Escobar

When a guy with a 5.40 ERA in Triple-A is being heralded as the next big pitching prospect, there’s reason to be concerned. Painter was coming off Tommy John surgery, but there were more reasons to be skeptical about his potential moving forward. If he has a rough start to 2026, this team could fall much further down these rankings. Still, the questions surrounding Painter are mostly offset by breakout seasons from guys like Aroon Escobar, who managed an .828 OPS in A-ball from second base. That’s something to keep an eye on.

12) Athletics

Top 5 prospects:

SS Leo De Vries (No. 3)
LHP Jamie Arnold (No. 38)
LHP Gage Jump (No. 60)
RHP Brade Nett
OF Henry Bolte

The addition of Leo De Vries did wonders for this team’s farm. Sure, losing Mason Miller hurts, but it bolsters this team’s future drastically, which is good considering they want to be great for their first year in Vegas. There were far more breakout seasons than there were setbacks in the A’s system altogether. That’s a recipe for succcess when guys like Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson have already made valuable impacts at the major league level.

11) New York Mets

Top 5 prospects:

RHP Nolan McLean (No. 11)
OF Carson Benge (No. 21)
RHP Jonah Tong (No. 46)
3B/1B Jacob Reimer
OF/2B A.J. Ewing

It’s shocking to see how the Mets’ farm system has turned on its head in the past year. Brandon Sproat was supposed to be the top guy in the organization, and he didn’t experience a bad year per se in 2025, posting a 4.24 ERA in Triple-A before having a brief, mediocre stint in the majors. But he’s not even on the team anymore after the Mets traded him and Jett Williams to Milwaukee.

Thankfully for Mets fans, the team saw several of their mid-tier prospects break out in unexpected ways. Benge, McLean, Tong, Ewing, and Reimer all exceed expectations, which has set them up very nicely for the immediate future, and enabled them to make the move for Freddy Peralta without their farm system suffering too drastically for it.

10) Boston Red Sox

Top 5 prospects:

SS Franklin Arias (No. 24)
LHP Payton Tolle (No. 28)
RHP Kyson Witherspoon (No. 89)
LHP Connelly Early
OF Justin Gonzales

Many people believed the Red Sox farm would fall off after graduating guys like Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer last season. However, the team enjoyed a plethora of breakouts, particularly from Payton Tolle. Pitching certainly won’t be a problem for this team for years to come.

9) Baltimore Orioles

Top 5 prospects:

C/1B Samuel Basallo (No. 7)
OF Dylan Beavers (No. 83)
C/OF Ike Irish
OF Enrique Bradfield Jr.
SS Wehiwa Aloy

A little top-heavy, it’s hard to rank the Orioles lower than top 10 considering how good and how ready for the bigs Samuel Basallo is. The Orioles certainly have depth but will need more consistency from their mid-tier prospects before anyone is ready to consider them a true powerhouse farm system again.

8) Tampa Bay Rays

Top 5 prospects:

SS Carson Williams (No. 50)
OF Theo Gillen (No. 65)
RHP Brody Hopkins
OF Jacob Melton
SS Daniel Pierce

Another year, another great haul of prospects for the Rays. The addition of Jacob Melton just added to an already loaded farm. The Rays do lack some pithing depth, particularly southpaws, as not a single lefty cracks their top-30 prospects, but outside of that, this team has such a ‘next man up’ attitude and great developmental program that you can’t really knock them too much.

7) Minnesota Twins

Top 5 prospects:

OF Walker Jenkins (No. 10)
SS Kaelen Culpepper (No. 52)
C Eduardo Tait (No. 57)
OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 69)
LHP Kendry Rojas

Considering the fire sale the Twins endured in 2025, you’d hope they have a good farm system now. Thankfully, they do, the addition of guys like Mick Abel, Kendry Rojas, and Eduardo Tait mark a serious shift in the outlook for this team’s future.

6) Cleveland Guardians

Top 5 prospects:

2B Travis Bazzana (No. 17)
OF Chase DeLauter (No. 58)
SS Angel Genao (No. 59)
C Cooper Ingle
OF Jaison Chourio

For a team that was in the playoffs a year ago, it’s easy to forget they actually bolstered their farm system by playing the role of ‘seller’ at the trade deadline, shipping Shane Bieber to Toronto for Khal Stephen. Stephen struggled in Double-A for Cleveland, but has the tools necessary to be a strong major league arm. He’s still only 22 and doesn’t walk people much. His strikeout numbers could stand to improve though.

5) Pittsburgh Pirates

Top 5 prospects:

SS/OF Konnor Griffin (No. 1)
RHP Bubba Chandler (No. 14)
RHP Seth Hernandez (No. 27)
LHP Hunter Barco (No. 78)
OF/1B Edward Florentino (No. 81)

Griffin and Chandler are the truth. They were already on the team heading into the 2025 trade deadline. Then they added Rafael Flores Jr. and Sammy Stafura at the deadline? Yeah, this team has a bright future, meaning they’ll have a three-year window of playoff contention before all their best players sign with the Dodgers, thus beginning another 10-year rebuild.

4) Detroit Tigers

Top 5 prospects:

SS Kevin McGonigle (No. 2)
OF Max Clark (No. 8)
C/1B Josue Briceño (No. 33)
SS Bryce Rainer (No. 37)
C/1B Thayron Liranzo

Everyone knows how great the top four prospects in this system are, but they have some potential further down as well. A player a lot of people have noticed is Cris Rodriguez who slashed a stellar .308/.340/.564 at 17 years old in the Dominican Summer League.

3) Milwaukee Brewers

Top 5 prospects:

SS/2B Jesus Made (No. 4)
INF Luis Peña (No. 18)
SS/OF/2B Jett Williams (No. 30)
SS Cooper Pratt (No. 56)
C Jeferson Quero (No. 84)

Jesus Made and Luis Peña emerged as two of the best international prospects in baseball last season. They were already highly touted and then each enjoyed an OPS of .760 or better in A-ball. Oh, they’re also each entering their age-19 seasons.

Furthermore, while the loss of Freddy Peralta obviously hurts the team, the additions of the Mets’ No. 3 and 5 prospects in Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat gives the farm system a huge boost.

2) Los Angeles Dodgers

Top 5 prospects:

OF Josue De Paula (No. 13)
OF Zyhir Hope (No. 20)
OF Eduardo Quintero (No. 34)
SS/3B Alex Freeland (No. 45)
OF Mike Sirota (No. 64)

The rich get richer. Look at it. This is what baseball has become. It wasn’t enough for them to give out $1.2 billion in guaranteed money, they had to have a tremendous scouting department as well. On the bright side, most of these guys will likely get traded away for proven MLB-ready talent.

1) Seattle Mariners

Top 5 prospects:

SS/3B Colt Emerson (No. 9)
LHP Kade Anderson (No. 23)
OF Lazaro Montes (No. 29)
RHP Ryan Sloan (No. 44)
2B Michael Arroyo (No. 63)

The impressive part of the Mariners’ farm system is that they built it quietly and have put themselves in position to have a steady influx of highly-touted talent join the team for years to come. While the loss of Harry Ford certainly stings a little bit, the Mariners already have a decent catcher (in case you hadn’t noticed) and just added Luke Stevenson via the draft, who enjoyed a very solid year in A-ball, slashing .280/.460/.400.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

5 Mins Read

Dabo learns hard lesson: If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’

Dabo Swinney went scorched earth late last week, decrying the ills of college football and the absurdity of those in charge ignoring the obvious.

He laid out the most damning of all tampering allegations against Ole Miss. He called out a head coach and player by name.

“This is about protecting our program,” Swinney said Jan. 23. “This is about college football.”

Meanwhile, two days before the national championship game, Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich stumped for no salary cap in college football. A free, open market.

On the same day — an incredible coincidence, I know — Duke quarterback Darian Mensah backed out of the second year of a two-year deal with the Blue Devils, and entered the transfer portal.

Guess which program, after having spent more money on one-year quarterback deals than any other in the free player movement era, desperately needs a quarterback for 2026?

I have no idea if Miami tampered with Mensah, and frankly, I don’t care. Because if the NCAA isn’t going to police it, they’re allowing it.

We’ve officially entered the if you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’ era of college football.

And that brings us all the way back to Clemson, which hasn’t been the same program since the NCAA flew open the doors to NIL and free player movement in 2021 and left every man for himself.

Clemson has lost 20 games in the five NIL seasons to date — after losing 18 games in the 10 years prior while battling in the high rent district with Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia. A 2025 season of national title expectations ended with a loss to an untethered Penn State team in a meaningless bowl game.

The half-decade of falling back to the pack has officially hit rock bottom. And now — an incredible coincidence, I know — here come the allegations of tampering against Ole Miss coach Pete Golding.

Buy IU championship books, prints

Swinney laid out the allegations like it was next-level stuff, only it’s not. If you want to know why Clemson hasn’t looked like Clemson since getting thumped by Ohio State in the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinals, the answer is simple.

Clemson isn’t competing at the same, whatever-it-takes level when it comes to player procurement.

Swinney was floored that Golding allegedly kept recruiting linebacker Luke Ferrelli long after Ferrelli left California at the end of the 2025 season and committed to Clemson. Couldn’t believe that Golding, allegedly, was texting Ferrelli in class and trying to get him to flip.

Wouldn’t you know it, in this Wild, Wild West world of free player movement and cash is king, Ferrelli jumped at the better offer and switched his commitment to Ole Miss. For those scoring at home, it went like this:

January 7: Ferrelli commits to Clemson.
January 16: Ferrelli re-enters the transfer portal.
January 22: Ferrelli commits to Ole Miss.

As much as I’d love to side with Swinney on this, we now have a clear, unobstructed view into Clemson’s regression from the national elite. Everyone knows the rules to this absurd money grab of free player movement, and Clemson refuses to play by them.

And by rules, I mean no rules at all.

Swinney says Golding spoke to Ferrelli, and that Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and former quarterback Jaxson Dart called Ferrelli. Even alleged Golding sent Ferrelli a photo of a check for $1 million.

Ole Miss pushed the envelope and Clemson didn’t push back — until after the fact. Until after Ferrelli decided to go with the best offer, and leave Clemson with a significant hole in its defense.

Look, there’s nothing pretty or practical about this new era of the game. It’s unseemly and unsettling and has run off far lesser coaches than Swinney. Good men who refuse to get dirty to get better.

“We have a broken system,” Swinney said. “If there are no consequences for tampering, then we have no rules and we have no governance.”

There hasn’t been rules and governance for five years now, no matter what the NCAA rulebook says. While there’s a bylaw against tampering, if you’re not pushing the envelope at every possible angle while recruiting, you’re left behind.

There’s a reason Ole Miss, which has never even played in the SEC championship game, was playing in the CFP semifinals while big, bad Clemson was still thawing out from a brutal bowl game in the Bronx.

Ole Miss is 52-15 in the NIL era, including its first CFP season of 2025. Clemson is 47-20, despite playing in a significantly easier conference.

Ole Miss was 61-61 in the 10 years prior to the advent of NIL and free player movement, and Clemson was 121-18 — with two national titles and six CFP appearances.

One team presses the new recruiting envelope as well as any program in college football. The other sits around and complains about the transfer portal, and how college football isn’t what it once was.

In the irony of ironies, by exposing Ole Miss for allegedly tampering with a player, Clemson pulled back the curtain on its fall from the national elite.

If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

2 Mins Read

Full rosters announced for NBA Rising Stars game. See who made the cut

The NBA announced its pool of participants for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game on Peacock on Monday, Jan. 26. Twenty-one players – 10 rookies and 11 sophomores – along with seven G Leaguers were chosen to represent the future of the NBA to tip-off All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles on Feb. 13.

The rookies are headlined by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who has looked every bit the franchise centerpiece the Dallas Mavericks were in desperate need of after shipping out Luka Doncic a year ago. Memphis Grizzlies emerging wing Cedric Coward is also in the pool, along with the New Orleans’ Pelicans’ duo of breakout stars Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen.

Stephon Castle has established himself as a solid running mate for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama; he’s among the sophomores selected. So is Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, who has stepped up from his early season struggles in the absence of Fred VanVleet.

The players will be drafted into three teams on Tuesday, Jan. 27 with a fourth comprised entirely of G League players. Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Austin Rivers will serve as the coaches for each team.

Here is the full list of players they will be picking from:

2026 NBA Rising Stars roster

Here is every player named to the Rising Stars game:

Rookies

Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets
V.J. Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans
Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards
Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors
Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

Sophomores

Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards
Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder
Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies
Jalon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers
Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat
Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

G League

Sean East, Salt Lake City Stars
Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
Yanic Konan Niederhauser, San Diego Clippers
Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix

Rising Stars format

Four teams of seven players each will face off in a mini tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on Friday, Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

2 Mins Read

NHL star fined for making obscene gesture on TV broadcast

Injured Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander flashed his middle finger during Sunday’s game when he noticed a TV camera was filming him and other non-playing teammates in the press box.

The gesture cost him $5,000 on Monday, Jan. 26.

The NHL said he was fined the maximum amount because he violated a policy that ‘prohibits inappropriate and offensive remarks, and the use of obscene, profane or abusive language or gestures in the game.’

“This serves as a reminder the code of conduct governing players extends throughout the arena at NHL games and in public game situations,’ NHL disciplinarian George Parros said in a statement.

Nylander suffered a groin muscle injury on Jan. 15 and went on the injured list on the 19th. Sunday’s game was the fifth one he missed. The last four have been losses.

He apologized on social media on Sunday for his ‘moment of frustration’ and also Monday in person during a meeting with reporters.

‘I’m just not playing,’ he said of why he’s frustrated. ‘I just want to be out there with the guys.’

He said he received a text message right after the gesture was shown on the TV broadcast.

‘I was like, ‘Not a good idea, not a good thing to do,” he said. ‘Like I said, I apologize about that.’

Nylander, who sat out 10 other games with injury this season, said he hopes to return to action during the team’s upcoming road trip, which runs from Jan. 29 to Feb. 3.

He has also been named to Swedish Olympic team.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

5 Mins Read

Katie Meyer wrongful death suit vs. Stanford resolved

The wrongful death suit filed by the parents of Katie Meyer against Stanford University has been resolved, the school announced Monday, Jan. 26, in a joint statement from the school and Katie’s family.

Meyer, who led the Stanford women’s soccer team to a national championship in 2019, died by suicide on March 1, 2022.

Meyer, 22 at the time of her death, was found in her dorm at Stanford.

Meyer’s parents sued Stanford in November 2022. The lawsuit, filed with the Santa Clara County Superior Court of California, was scheduled to go to trial later this year.

Meyer’s parents said the school was responsible for their daughter’s death from a disciplinary matter stemming from Katie Meyer either intentionally or accidentally spilling coffee on one of Stanford’s football players.

“Stanford and the family of Katie Meyer are pleased to have reached a resolution in the lawsuit that was filed against the university following Katie’s tragic death in 2022,’’ the university said in a statement issued Monday.

“To honor Katie, Stanford will collaborate with Katie’s family to launch an initiative focused on the mental health and well-being of student-athletes at the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance. Stanford Athletics will establish the Katie Meyer Leadership Award to be given to an exceptional Stanford student-athlete each year. More information on both the initiative at Wu Tsai and the Leadership Award will be provided later this year.’’

Stanford also said it would adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students in its Office of Community disciplinary process. Also, the jersey number worn by Katie while she played soccer at Stanford, #19, will be retired in honor of the impact Katie had on Stanford women’s soccer, according to the statement.

“While Katie’s passing remains devastating and tragic, the memory of her accomplishments and the uplifting influence she had on those who knew her lives on,’ the university said. “Stanford and the Meyer family believe that working together on these initiatives will both honor Katie’s indelible legacy and help current and future students in meaningful ways.’

The coffee incident

At the time Meyer died by suicide, she was facing disciplinary action for allegedly spilling coffee on a Stanford football player in August 2021 while she was riding her bike, according to the complaint filed by Meyer’s parents in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

The football player allegedly sexually assaulted a female soccer player, then a minor, on the Stanford women’s soccer team on which Meyer served as a captain, according to the complaint.

The school filed court documents stating the unnamed football player suffered burns on his back that required medical attention and had kissed one of Meyer’s teammates without consent.

Meyer’s father, Steve, previously told USA TODAY Sports that the disciplinary issue arose from Katie Meyer defending a teammate.

Katie Meyer’s soccer heroics

Meyer, a goaltender, was a captain of the Stanford soccer team her senior year. But her most dramatic performance came during her sophomore season.

During the 2019 NCAA women’s soccer championship between Stanford and North Carolina, the game ended 0-0 after two 10-minute overtime periods before going to penalty kicks.

Stanford won 5-4 on penalty kicks after Meyer saved two shots.

In the semifinal game against UCLA, Meyer saved the penalty kick that helped propel Stanford to a 4-1 victory.

Matter of dispute

Meyer’s parents argued that Stanford mishandled the disciplinary process and failed to provide Katie with adequate support, in part because they were not informed of the matter. The Meyers said their daughter suffered acute stress because the matter meant her degree would be put on hold until the previous disciplinary matter was resolved, which could have prevented her from graduating.

The proceedings grew contentious when the school said Meyer’s parents allowed key information to be destroyed. The school argued it needed the information to demonstrate Meyer’s state of mind at the time of her death, that Stanford was not to blame. The Meyers’ attorneys strongly denied that the parents destroyed any evidence.

Katie Meyer’s Law

A California bill spurred by the death of Meyer became state law in September 2024.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 1575, which requires public colleges and universities to allow students to have an adviser when facing an alleged violation of a student code of conduct.

In a joint statement Monday, Stanford said it “will adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students in its OCS disciplinary process.’’

In order to receive state funds for student financial assistance, the schools must ‘adopt a policy permitting a student to be assisted by an adviser if the student receives a notification of an alleged violation of … a student code of conduct.’

The bill was an outgrowth of Katie’s Save, a non-profit established by the Meyers, who traveled across the country talking about the initiative they hope will become law in all 50 states.

This story has been updated with new information.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

7 Mins Read

New Found Gold Delivers Key Milestone at Queensway Gold Project: Enters into Phase 1 EPCM Contract

New Found Gold Corp. (TSXV: NFG) (NYSE American: NFGC) (‘New Found Gold’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce key advancements at its 100%-owned Queensway Gold Project (‘Queensway’ or the ‘Project’) in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, which includes entering into a Phase I engineering, procurement and construction management services (‘EPCM’) contract.

Highlights of Key Project Advancements:

Offsite Mill Selection: The Company owns the fully permitted Pine Cove Mill (‘Pine Cove‘) and Nugget Pond Hydrometallurgical Gold Plant, both located in central Newfoundland. EPCM work will include upgrading and expanding Pine Cove for Queensway Phase 1 to benefit from the synergies of processing both Hammerdown and Queensway Phase 1 feed from a single facility.
Environmental Assessment: The Company has substantially completed its environmental baseline work at Queensway and plans to submit an Environmental Registration (‘ER‘) to the Newfoundland and Labrador (‘NL‘) Department of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change in late Q1/26. The ER serves to initiate the environmental assessment (‘EA‘) process for the Project, as per the NL Environmental Protection Act. Updates on the status of the EA process will be provided when available.
Project Finance: As previously announced, the Company has engaged Cutfield Freeman & Co. Ltd., an independent global mining finance advisory firm, to act as its project finance advisor with the objective of selecting the optimal financing package for the initial capital expenditure required to fund Queensway Phase 1 production².
Technical Report: the Company plans to file an updated Technical Report, which will include an updated mineral resource estimate, in mid-2026.
Timeline: The Queensway Phase 1 project finance process is ongoing and EPCM work is underway with the objective of achieving first gold pour from Queensway Phase I in H2/27, pending receipt of all required permits.

Keith Boyle, CEO of New Found Gold stated ‘Commencing EPCM work is a key milestone in advancing Queensway. We believe our rapid timeline from initial mineral resource in early 2025 to a planned first gold pour in late 2027 is supported by a unique combination of factors, namely: significant drilling and technical work completed on a deposit with an at-surface, high-grade core; ownership of the recently acquired Pine Cove operation, equipped with a fully permitted milling and tailings facilities; and being located in a mining-positive region. Newfoundland and Labrador is a jurisdiction ranked in the top 10 globally in the Fraser Institute’s 2024 Annual Survey of Mining Companies and offers excellent access, infrastructure and a skilled labour force. Having executed on a number of key steps in 2025 and building a strong technical and operating team over the past year has put the Company in an excellent position to accelerate the development of Queensway in a strong gold price environment.’

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Keith Boyle, P.Eng., CEO, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Boyle consents to the publication of this press release by New Found Gold. Mr. Boyle certifies that this press release fairly and accurately represents the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this press release.

About New Found Gold Corp.

New Found Gold is an emerging Canadian gold producer with assets in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company holds a 100% interest in Queensway and owns the Hammerdown Operation, Pine Cove Operation and Nugget Pond Hydrometallurgical Gold Plant. The Company is currently focused on advancing Queensway to production and bringing the Hammerdown Operation into steady-state gold production.

In July 2025, the Company completed a PEA at Queensway (see New Found Gold news release dated July 21, 2025). Recent drilling continues to yield new discoveries along strike and down dip of known gold zones, pointing to the district-scale potential that covers a +110 km strike extent along two prospective fault zones at Queensway.

New Found Gold has a new board of directors and management team and a solid shareholder base which includes cornerstone investor Eric Sprott. The Company is focused on growth and value creation.

Keith Boyle, P.Eng.
Chief Executive Officer
New Found Gold Corp.

Contact

For further information on New Found Gold, please visit the Company’s website at www.newfoundgold.ca, contact us through our investor inquiry form at https://newfoundgold.ca/contact/contact-us/ or contact:

Fiona Childe, Ph.D., P.Geo.
Vice President, Communications and Corporate Development
Phone: +1 (416) 910-4653
Email: contact@newfoundgold.ca

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement Cautions

This press release contains certain ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including relating to WSP’s engagement to provide EPCM services for Queensway Phase 1 project development; the expected start of the EPCM work in Q1/26; the planned work on Pine Cove for Queensway Phase 1; the expected submission of an ER to the NL Department of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change in late Q1/26; the future updates on the status of the EA process; the anticipated filing of an updated Queensway technical report; and the expected first gold pour from Queensway Phase I, pending receipt of all required permits. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, they are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘interpreted’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘aims’, ‘suggests’, ‘indicate’, ‘often’, ‘target’, ‘future’, ‘likely’, ‘pending’, ‘potential’, ‘encouraging’, ‘goal’, ‘objective’, ‘prospective’, ‘possibly’, ‘preliminary’, and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘can’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with the Company’s ability to complete exploration and drilling programs as expected, possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, risks associated with the interpretation of exploration results and the results of the metallurgical testing program, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company’s exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company’s business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company’s Annual Information Form and Management’s Discussion and Analysis, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators’ System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects.

¹ for additional information see the Company’s news release dated July 21, 2025.
² for additional information see the Company’s news release dated November 28, 2025.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281691

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com