OU football commitment Jackson Arnold named MVP of Elite 11 quarterback camp

OU football commit Arnold named MVP of Elite 11

Oklahoma football commit Jackson Arnold was named Most Valuable Player of the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp in Redondo Beach, California.

Some of the nation's premier high school quarterbacks attended the three-day camp, and Arnold, who will be a senior this season at Denton-Guyer High School, was the best of the bunch.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder is a five-star prospect who led Denton-Guyer to the Texas state championship game last season. He is also the first commitment under new OU head coach Brent Venables.

Texas commitment Arch Manning, considered by some as the top QB in the 2023 class, did not participate in the camp.

More: OU football: Denton Guyer quarterback Jackson Arnold commits to Sooners for 2023 recruiting class

Stephensons plege $1 million to Gautt Academic Center

Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione announced that Sooner philanthropists Randall and Lenise Stephenson have pledged a $1 million gift to the Prentice Gautt Academic Center. The gift will fund OU athletics’ newly established Growing Resilient Innovative Thinkers (GRIT) program.

The Stephensons' numerous gifts toward OU academics and athletics have helped student-athletes produce a school-record 21 consecutive semesters of at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, a streak that dates back to 2012.

GRIT will be administered by OU’s Prentice Gautt Academic Center staff. The center, located inside Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, is open over 75 hours per week to student-athletes for academic assistance.

Individuals interested in supporting the academic excellence of OU student-athletes can visit TheSoonerClub.com/icf_academics.html.

Gasso to speak at Sooners Helping Sooners luncheon

OU softball coach Patty Gasso will be the featured speaker at a July 19 luncheon to support Sooners Helping Sooners. The event will be held at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club pavilion. The luncheon is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sooners Helping Sooners is an organization run by former OU assistant coach Jerry Pettibone and former Sooner quarterback Jay O'Neal. Its mission is to impact the lives of former OU athletes and their families by providing opportunities for personal development, education and rewarding career paths.

For tickets to the luncheon, call 405-236-1636. ...

Former Arizona State softball infielder Alynah Torres has transferred to Oklahoma. She was an All-Pac 12 selection this season as a junior shortstop. Torres, who batted .339 with 16 homers, will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Hornets' Bridges arrested

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges was arrested in Los Angeles after a warrant was issued, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The details of the arrest were not immediately available. TMZ reported that Bridges is facing felony domestic violence charges..

Bridges, the Hornets’ leading scorer last season, is set to become a restricted free agent and could command a max contract. The 24-year-old Bridges averaged career highs with 20.2 points and seven rebounds last season for the Hornets in what amounted to a breakout season while playing alongside All-Star LaMelo Ball. Bridges is also a rapper, who goes by the name RTB MB.

COVID-19 sidelines three players at Wimbledon

Reigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic might be playing in his last Grand Slam tournament for a while because he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19. And the coronavirus has become a significant matter at the All England Club: Three of the top 20 seeded men in the tournament have pulled out of the bracket after testing positive. Players aren't required to get tested for COVID-19 but are encouraged to if they develop symptoms. They also are encouraged to let Wimbledon know if that happens and pull themselves out of the tournament. No. 8 Matteo Berrettini, No. 14 Marin Cilic and No. 17 Roberto Bautista Agut have done that so far. ...

Rafael Nadal made it through to the third round of Wimbledon for the 11th time after getting past Ricardas Berankis 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Nadal looked far from his best at times but won on Centre Court in a match that finished under the roof after a rain delay during the fourth set. It was Nadal’s 307th Grand Slam match win. That took him past Martina Navratilova in fourth place on the all-time list. He is still behind Roger Federerer, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic. Nadal is looking for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title and third Wimbledon trophy.

Extra points

OKC DODGERS: Jason Martin gave Oklahoma City an early lead, but it failed to hold up as El Paso beat the Dodgers 14-3 on Wednesday night in PCL baseball at Southwest University Park. El Paso (41-33) had 19 hits, including seven doubles and nine extra-base hits overall. The 14 runs allowed tied a season high for the first-place Dodgers (46-28).

OU CLUB HOCKEY: Former Oklahoma City Blazers legend Peter Arvanitis is returning to coach the OU club hockey team. Arvanitis, who played for OKC's former minor-pro team over the 1997-2007 seasons, left the OU program after the 2018 season. The Montreal native is the Sooners' most successful coach with a 159-76-27 record. The OU club squad plays its games at the Arctic Edge Arena in Edmond.

HIGH SCHOOLS: Tulsa Union's Jayden Rowe, an elite football prospect and OU signee, was the top sprinter in the state this season and has been recognized as the Oklahoma Gatorade Boys Track Athlete of the Year.

He won Class 6A state titles in the 100-meter dash (10.60 seconds) and the 200 (21.09). Rowe was also a member of Union’s 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams that placed second with times of 41.58 and 1:26.99, respectively.

At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Rowe’s large frame made him a unique sprinter at the high school level. Rowe, a defensive back in football, intends to compete in both sports for the Sooners.  ...

Broken Arrow’s Payton Hinkle has been named the 2022 Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year. The Oklahoma State signee, had a historic senior  season, becoming the first girl to win Class 6A state titles in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. She set the state record in the 1,600 as she finished in 4:49.24 and broke the Class 6A state meet mark in the 3,200 with a time of 10:35.29. Hinkle won the 800 in 2:09.47.  She was a three-time state champion in crss country in the fall and was twice named Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. ...

Two high school swimmers from the Oklahoma City area received national recognition this week. Shawnee’s Piper McNeil and Edmond North’s Ryan Healy were named All-Americans by the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association.

McNeil, a Missouri commit, was selected as an All-American in the 100-yard backstroke after breaking the state record in the event with a time of 55.41 seconds at the Class 5A state meet.

Healy, who recently committed to Michigan, is an All-American in the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle. He won Class 6A state titles in those races with times of 1:49.90 and 4:30.68, respectively.

Staff and wire reports

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football commitment Jackson Arnold named MVP of Elite 11 camp