Hoop grad rate showing differentialThe graduation rate of African-American men’s basketball players from teams participating in the NCAA Tournament is 74 percent compared with 93 percent for white players.That’s according to a study released by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida.The rate in 2016 was 75 percent. It’s the first decrease since 2011, according to the study’s author Dr. Richard Lapchick.The graduation rate for white male basketball players remained the same as last year.White female basketball players on tournament teams graduated at a rate of 96 percent compared with 87 percent for black female players.

Transgender player retiring from hockeyBUFFALO, N.Y. — The National Women’s Hockey League’s first transgender player says he plans to retire after this season.Harrison Browne announced his decision in a release issued by the league in advance of the NWHL semifinal and championship playoff games this weekend. Browne plays for the Buffalo Beauts, who will face New York on Friday. The winner will play in the Isobel Cup Final on Sunday.Browne intends to pursue a career in sports business and will continue serving on the NWHL’s board of advisers for the four-team league’s third season next year.

57-year-old Seavey oldest Iditarod champANCHORAGE, Alaska — Mitch Seavey won his third Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, becoming the fastest and oldest champion at age 57 and helping cement his family’s position as mushing royalty.The Seward, Alaska, musher brought his dogs off the frozen Bering Sea and onto Front Street in the Gold Rush town of Nome after crossing nearly 1,000 miles of Alaska wilderness.He outran his son, defending champion Dallas Seavey, and lapped the oldest musher record that he set at age 53 in 2013. He previously won the race in 2013 and 2004.Seavey also set a time record of 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds.