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FRESNO - Fresno State senior quarterback Marcus McMaryion was named to two national player of the week award watch lists on Monday, hours after being named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week.

McMaryion was announced as one of eight quarterbacks up for the Manning Award "Star of the Week," sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The senior quarterback was also named to a list of eight in line for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week Award for week five, the Davey O'Brien Foundation and Punt & Pass Podcast jointly announced.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The sixth annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards will take place Thursday evening at the Omni Louisville Hotel. The fundraising gala celebrates individuals from around the world who are driven to becoming change agents for the common good. In addition to awards given to seasoned humanitarians, six young people age 30 and under, will be honored with an award for each of Muhammad Ali's Six Core Principles: Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect and Spirituality.

Lonnie Ali, Co-Founder of the Muhammad Ali Center and widow of Muhammad Ali, said, "Like Muhammad, by their example these awardees serve as role models to all of us, and they help to ensure that the legacy Muhammad left on this world continues to inspire, transform, and ignite positive change. If there was a time for the power of his example to be heeded, it is now."

FRESNO -   The Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) have signed a two-season Player Development Contract (PDC) with the Washington Nationals.  Washington, a perennial playoff contender in the National League East, has won that division four of the last six seasons (2012-2017), finishing no worse than second place during that span.

The Nationals’ player development has been exemplary as well, counting current MLB superstars like 3B Anthony Rendon, RHP Stephen Strasburg and OF Bryce Harper among their homegrown talent, critical to their sustained run of success.  Very recently, 19-year-old big league rookie Juan Soto has taken the baseball world by storm.  The outfielder, with 64 RBI this season (in 104 games as of September 17) has the most runs driven in by a teenager in the Majors since Mickey Mantle- in 1951.  Soto is just the third teenager in the history of Major League Baseball to hit 20 home runs in a season, with two weeks remaining on the schedule.

PASADENA - Led by senior quarterback Marcus McMaryion's five total touchdowns on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, the Fresno State football team defeated UCLA 38-14 in front of 60,867. The Bulldogs closed the game with 22-unanswered points during the final 24 minutes to earn their third-straight win over the Bruins. Fresno State improves to 2-1 on the season with a 1-1 mark on the road.

With four touchdowns on the ground, McMaryion became just the second Fresno State quarterback to rush for four touchdowns in a game - joining Mark Barsotti's feat in 1989. McMaryion finished 22-of-33 passing for 270 yards and added a 10-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Kyle Riddering.

FRESNO -   The Fresno Grizzlies and Houston Astros have each filed notice with their respective league office, to explore a new Triple-A affiliation beginning with the 2019 baseball season.  The Grizzlies, of the Pacific Coast League, who have served as Houston's Triple-A affiliate since 2015, are now in search of a new Major League relationship.

A Player Development Contract (PDC) between a Major League Baseball club and a minor league affiliate may be signed in two-year or four-year increments.  With several of those Triple-A deals expiring this offseason, it is not yet clear what Fresno's next MLB affiliation will be.  Major League and minor league clubs are permitted to begin negotiating such matters at the conclusion of the minor league playoffs.  Fresno's new affiliate is likely to be settled before the 30^th of September.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The Foxes were unable to swing the scoreline in the second half, falling 1-0 to Swope Park Rangers on Sunday afternoon at Children's Mercy Park to split the season series at one win apiece. The hosts took an early lead by way of Hadji Barry's strike at the 14th minute, when he capitalized on a Fresno FC turnover before dribbling into the left side of the box and finding the goal near post. 

Fresno FC remains in 11th place in the USL Western Conference at 8W-10L-11D (35 points), seven points out of eighth with five matches to play in the regular season. The Foxes controlled the tempo early as they displayed skill in small passes through the defense and midfield. Their first chance came at the 12th minute when Franck Tayou laid off a short pass to Juan Pablo Caffa, but his attempt deflected off a Rangers defender. Two minutes later, Swope Park answered behind Barry's fifth goal in five consecutive starts.