Indian sports wrap, June 8: Akshat wins in Senior Max category of Meco Meritus Cup, Kochhar finishes ninth at IGPL Bharath Classic MOTORSPORT
Meco Meritus Cup: Akshat Misra, Shiv Tummala, Aarav Sureka emerge champions
Bengaluru’s Akshat Misra (Peregrine Racing), with a win and another podium finish, picked up sufficient points to emerge champion in the Senior Max class as the third and final round of the Meco Meritus Cup karting concluded at the CoASTT Kartomania circuit in Coimbatore on Sunday.
Misra was placed third in Sprint Race-1, but he recovered well to win Sprint Race-2 and finished the three-round Meritus Cup, a forerunner to the Rotax Max Class National Championship, with 85 points, ahead of Chennai’s Shivaan Karthik (MSPORT) and Kiaan Shah (Rayo Racing) from Mumbai.
Hyderabad’s Shiv Tummala (Peregrine Racing), among the most consistent of drivers, retained the crown after winning both the sprint races in the Mini Max class.
Rayo Racing’s Aarav Sureka from Mumbai, who finished second and fifth in the two points-scoring outings, won the championship in the Micro Max category. Aarav ended up six points ahead of Bengaluru’s Zidaan Arshaan Anees (Peregrine Racing), winner of both the sprint races, on the leaderboard.
Rivaan Dev Preetham bags IKA Trophy
Meanwhile, in the Indian Karting Academy Trophy, running concurrently, Chennai’s Rivaan Dev Preetham (MSPORT) expectedly emerged champion in the OK-Junior class, though he finished second in the Super Heat and Final race won by teammate Rishik Rohit Reddy from Bengaluru and Rehan Khan Rasheed (Momentum Motorsports), also from Chennai, respectively.
The OKJ Junior class provides the Indian junior drivers an opportunity to experience the FIA OK-J engine, which is a replica of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy that runs with the FIA homologated OK-J engines and the FIA homologated OTK chassis.
RESULTS
Meco Meritus Cup:
Senior Max – Sprint Race-1 (14 laps): 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10mins, 45.043secs); 2. Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSPORT) (10:47.663); 3. Akshat Misra (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:48.674). Sprint Race-2 (15 laps): 1. Akshat Misra (11:35.198); 2. Kiaan Shah (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (11:37.053); 3. Shatveer Shetty (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (11:40.549).
Champion driver: Akshat Misra (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing), 85 points.
Mini Max – Sprint Race-1 (10 laps): 1. Shiv Tummala (Hyderabad, Peregrine Racing) (07:52.372); 2. Micah Hayden Andrews (Tirunelveli, Peregrine Racing) (07:54.865); 3. Jishnu Seralathan (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (07:59.218). Sprint Race-2 (12 laps): 1. Shiv Tummala (09:25.332); 2. Jishnu Seralathan (09:27.317); 3. Micah Hayden Andrews (09:28.268).
Champion driver: Shiv Tummala (Hyderabad, Peregrine Racing), 96 points.
Micro Max – Sprint Race-1 (10 laps): 1. Zidaan Arshaan Anees (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (08: 14.876); 2. Aarav Sureka (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (08:15.862); 3. Ayansh Patil (Kolhapur, MSPORT) (08:19.450). Sprint Race-2 (12 laps): 1. Zidaan Arshaan Anees (09:51.846); 2. Yeshwin Vinay Kishore (Chennai, Peregrine Racing) (09:57.498); 3. Shriyan Rao Thakkallapelly (Hyderabad, Peregrine Racing) (09:58.018).
Champion driver: Aarav Sureka (Mumbai, Rayo Racing), 78 points.
India Karting Academy Trophy (OK Junior):
Super Heat (11 laps): 1. Rishik Rohit Reddy (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (08:25.138); 2. Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSPORT) (08:26.751); 3. Rehan Khan Rasheed (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) (08:26.977). Final Race (14 laps): 1. Rehan Khan Rasheed (10:42.327); 2. Rivaan Dev Preetham (10:48.417); 3. Syed Luqman (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:51.930).
Champion driver: Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSPORT), 99 points.
-Team Sportstar
GOLF
IGPL Bharath Classic: Bogey-free Kochhar bags third Top-10 of the year; Sweden’s Lindh takes title
Sweden’s Charlie Lindh poses with the IGPL Bharath Classic trophy in El Jadida, Morocco.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Sweden’s Charlie Lindh poses with the IGPL Bharath Classic trophy in El Jadida, Morocco.
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Karandeep Kochhar fired a bogey-free 4-under 68 on the final day to register yet another top-10 finish this season at the $500,000 IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco. The lanky Chandigarh golfer finished T-9, his third top-10 of the year, which carried him up to 12th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Kochhar, who had rounds of 66-73-70-68, totalled 11-under, as Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (69-70-67-64) totalled 18-under for a comprehensive win. Lindh was second in his last outing at the Kolon Korea Open, and this week he produced a very consistent performance that saw him rise to third on the Order of Merit. Lindh closed his win in a commanding manner, landing an eagle on the 18th for a four-shot win.
The tournament was co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) and the Asian Tour.
Among other Indian IGPL players, Gaganjeet Bhullar (75-70-69-68) and Yashas Chandra (75-68-71-68) at 6-under were the next best at T-27. Bhullar had five birdies against one bogey, while Yashas was bogey-free in his 68.
Rashid Khan, with a final round of 71 and a total of 3-under, was T-41, as were Kartik Singh (71) and Sachin Baisoya (67), whose final round had two eagles on the Par-5 third and Par-5 seventh. Kartik had an action-packed round with seven birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys.
Shaurya Bhattacharya, after a good start, finished close with 71 with three birdies and a double bogey and was T-52, while Aman Raj (70) was T-56, Pukhraj Singh Gill (75) was T-59, and Raghav Chugh (77) was T-64, as was Udayan Mane (73). Amateur Jai Bahl (74) finished T-67.
Winner of IGPL Dubai, Kochhar had an outstanding week in terms of hitting, as he found a lot of fairways and greens in regulation. However, the putter could have been better, as he needed 28 or more putts on each of the four days, including 34 on the second day when he shot 73.
Kochhar, who was T-5 at the International Series Japan, is now looking forward to the $2M International Series Morocco as he continues his search for a maiden Asian Tour win after having had a maiden win in Egypt on the Asian Development Tour, which had led to him gaining an Asian Tour card.
Kochhar birdied the third, 10th, 11th and the 14th, as he had 16 birdies during the week and left many more on the course.
The 28-year-old Lindh started the day three behind the overnight leader, Thailand’s Settee Prakongvech, but his eight-under par 64 was also the best round of the tournament.
Lindh, who had his childhood friend Isaac Bondesson on his bag, reached the edge of the green on the 18th in two shots and then putted from the fringe from 20 feet for the eagle.
Lindh said, “It feels good…feels really good. Feels like I’m still focused, but when everything settles a little bit, I will realise what I have done today. I have been playing well coming into this week, and I have been very, very excited to play golf the last couple of months because the game has been feeling better. And thankfully, I got some good results today.”
Lindh now goes to next week’s $2M International Series Morocco with a lot of confidence.
The Asian Tour will now move to the capital, Rabat, for the $2M International Series Morocco.
-Team Sportstar
ESPORTS
S8UL’s Apex Legends team qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026
S8UL Esports of India has qualified for the Apex Legends tournament at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 following a standout performance in the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) 2026: Split 1 Pro League – APAC South.
The qualification makes Apex Legends the fourth title in which the organisation has officially secured a spot at the world’s biggest esports event, after making the cut in Honor of Kings, chess, and Fortnite.
The ALGS 2026 Split 1 Pro League – APAC South brought together 30 of the region’s top teams.
S8UL’s all-Australian roster of Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko), and Tom Canty (Legacy), under the guidance of head coach Harrison Rogers (Rogers), delivered a consistent performance throughout the season, earning 21 additional Pro League Points to secure second place in the overall regular season standings with a total of 127 Pro League Points.
The result secured qualification for the global event while also earning the team USD 15,000 (approximately INR 14.2 lakh) in prize money and 1,350 Championship Points towards the ALGS 2025-26 rankings.
This marks the second consecutive year that S8UL will compete in Apex Legends at the EWC.
Scheduled to take place in Paris, France, from July 6 to August 23, EWC 2026 will bring together more than 2,000 players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries competing for a record-breaking prize pool of USD 75 million (~INR 714 crore).
-Team Sportstar
Published on Jun 08, 2026
#Indian #sports #wrap #June #Akshat #wins #Senior #Max #category #Meco #Meritus #Cup #Kochhar #finishes #ninth #IGPL #Bharath #Classic
MOTORSPORT
Meco Meritus Cup: Akshat Misra, Shiv Tummala, Aarav Sureka emerge champions
Bengaluru’s Akshat Misra (Peregrine Racing), with a win and another podium finish, picked up sufficient points to emerge champion in the Senior Max class as the third and final round of the Meco Meritus Cup karting concluded at the CoASTT Kartomania circuit in Coimbatore on Sunday.
Misra was placed third in Sprint Race-1, but he recovered well to win Sprint Race-2 and finished the three-round Meritus Cup, a forerunner to the Rotax Max Class National Championship, with 85 points, ahead of Chennai’s Shivaan Karthik (MSPORT) and Kiaan Shah (Rayo Racing) from Mumbai.
Hyderabad’s Shiv Tummala (Peregrine Racing), among the most consistent of drivers, retained the crown after winning both the sprint races in the Mini Max class.
Rayo Racing’s Aarav Sureka from Mumbai, who finished second and fifth in the two points-scoring outings, won the championship in the Micro Max category. Aarav ended up six points ahead of Bengaluru’s Zidaan Arshaan Anees (Peregrine Racing), winner of both the sprint races, on the leaderboard.
Rivaan Dev Preetham bags IKA Trophy
Meanwhile, in the Indian Karting Academy Trophy, running concurrently, Chennai’s Rivaan Dev Preetham (MSPORT) expectedly emerged champion in the OK-Junior class, though he finished second in the Super Heat and Final race won by teammate Rishik Rohit Reddy from Bengaluru and Rehan Khan Rasheed (Momentum Motorsports), also from Chennai, respectively.
The OKJ Junior class provides the Indian junior drivers an opportunity to experience the FIA OK-J engine, which is a replica of the FIA Karting Academy Trophy that runs with the FIA homologated OK-J engines and the FIA homologated OTK chassis.
RESULTS
Meco Meritus Cup:
Senior Max – Sprint Race-1 (14 laps): 1. Ishaan Madesh (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10mins, 45.043secs); 2. Eshanth Vengatesan (Chennai, MSPORT) (10:47.663); 3. Akshat Misra (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:48.674). Sprint Race-2 (15 laps): 1. Akshat Misra (11:35.198); 2. Kiaan Shah (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (11:37.053); 3. Shatveer Shetty (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (11:40.549).
Champion driver: Akshat Misra (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing), 85 points.
Mini Max – Sprint Race-1 (10 laps): 1. Shiv Tummala (Hyderabad, Peregrine Racing) (07:52.372); 2. Micah Hayden Andrews (Tirunelveli, Peregrine Racing) (07:54.865); 3. Jishnu Seralathan (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (07:59.218). Sprint Race-2 (12 laps): 1. Shiv Tummala (09:25.332); 2. Jishnu Seralathan (09:27.317); 3. Micah Hayden Andrews (09:28.268).
Champion driver: Shiv Tummala (Hyderabad, Peregrine Racing), 96 points.
Micro Max – Sprint Race-1 (10 laps): 1. Zidaan Arshaan Anees (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (08: 14.876); 2. Aarav Sureka (Mumbai, Rayo Racing) (08:15.862); 3. Ayansh Patil (Kolhapur, MSPORT) (08:19.450). Sprint Race-2 (12 laps): 1. Zidaan Arshaan Anees (09:51.846); 2. Yeshwin Vinay Kishore (Chennai, Peregrine Racing) (09:57.498); 3. Shriyan Rao Thakkallapelly (Hyderabad, Peregrine Racing) (09:58.018).
Champion driver: Aarav Sureka (Mumbai, Rayo Racing), 78 points.
India Karting Academy Trophy (OK Junior):
Super Heat (11 laps): 1. Rishik Rohit Reddy (Bengaluru, MSPORT) (08:25.138); 2. Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSPORT) (08:26.751); 3. Rehan Khan Rasheed (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) (08:26.977). Final Race (14 laps): 1. Rehan Khan Rasheed (10:42.327); 2. Rivaan Dev Preetham (10:48.417); 3. Syed Luqman (Bengaluru, Peregrine Racing) (10:51.930).
Champion driver: Rivaan Dev Preetham (Chennai, MSPORT), 99 points.
-Team Sportstar
GOLF
IGPL Bharath Classic: Bogey-free Kochhar bags third Top-10 of the year; Sweden’s Lindh takes title
Sweden’s Charlie Lindh poses with the IGPL Bharath Classic trophy in El Jadida, Morocco. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Sweden’s Charlie Lindh poses with the IGPL Bharath Classic trophy in El Jadida, Morocco. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Karandeep Kochhar fired a bogey-free 4-under 68 on the final day to register yet another top-10 finish this season at the $500,000 IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco. The lanky Chandigarh golfer finished T-9, his third top-10 of the year, which carried him up to 12th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Kochhar, who had rounds of 66-73-70-68, totalled 11-under, as Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (69-70-67-64) totalled 18-under for a comprehensive win. Lindh was second in his last outing at the Kolon Korea Open, and this week he produced a very consistent performance that saw him rise to third on the Order of Merit. Lindh closed his win in a commanding manner, landing an eagle on the 18th for a four-shot win.
The tournament was co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) and the Asian Tour.
Among other Indian IGPL players, Gaganjeet Bhullar (75-70-69-68) and Yashas Chandra (75-68-71-68) at 6-under were the next best at T-27. Bhullar had five birdies against one bogey, while Yashas was bogey-free in his 68.
Rashid Khan, with a final round of 71 and a total of 3-under, was T-41, as were Kartik Singh (71) and Sachin Baisoya (67), whose final round had two eagles on the Par-5 third and Par-5 seventh. Kartik had an action-packed round with seven birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys.
Shaurya Bhattacharya, after a good start, finished close with 71 with three birdies and a double bogey and was T-52, while Aman Raj (70) was T-56, Pukhraj Singh Gill (75) was T-59, and Raghav Chugh (77) was T-64, as was Udayan Mane (73). Amateur Jai Bahl (74) finished T-67.
Winner of IGPL Dubai, Kochhar had an outstanding week in terms of hitting, as he found a lot of fairways and greens in regulation. However, the putter could have been better, as he needed 28 or more putts on each of the four days, including 34 on the second day when he shot 73.
Kochhar, who was T-5 at the International Series Japan, is now looking forward to the $2M International Series Morocco as he continues his search for a maiden Asian Tour win after having had a maiden win in Egypt on the Asian Development Tour, which had led to him gaining an Asian Tour card.
Kochhar birdied the third, 10th, 11th and the 14th, as he had 16 birdies during the week and left many more on the course.
The 28-year-old Lindh started the day three behind the overnight leader, Thailand’s Settee Prakongvech, but his eight-under par 64 was also the best round of the tournament.
Lindh, who had his childhood friend Isaac Bondesson on his bag, reached the edge of the green on the 18th in two shots and then putted from the fringe from 20 feet for the eagle.
Lindh said, “It feels good…feels really good. Feels like I’m still focused, but when everything settles a little bit, I will realise what I have done today. I have been playing well coming into this week, and I have been very, very excited to play golf the last couple of months because the game has been feeling better. And thankfully, I got some good results today.”
Lindh now goes to next week’s $2M International Series Morocco with a lot of confidence.
The Asian Tour will now move to the capital, Rabat, for the $2M International Series Morocco.
-Team Sportstar
ESPORTS
S8UL’s Apex Legends team qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026
S8UL Esports of India has qualified for the Apex Legends tournament at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 following a standout performance in the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) 2026: Split 1 Pro League – APAC South.
The qualification makes Apex Legends the fourth title in which the organisation has officially secured a spot at the world’s biggest esports event, after making the cut in Honor of Kings, chess, and Fortnite.
The ALGS 2026 Split 1 Pro League – APAC South brought together 30 of the region’s top teams.
S8UL’s all-Australian roster of Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko), and Tom Canty (Legacy), under the guidance of head coach Harrison Rogers (Rogers), delivered a consistent performance throughout the season, earning 21 additional Pro League Points to secure second place in the overall regular season standings with a total of 127 Pro League Points.
The result secured qualification for the global event while also earning the team USD 15,000 (approximately INR 14.2 lakh) in prize money and 1,350 Championship Points towards the ALGS 2025-26 rankings.
This marks the second consecutive year that S8UL will compete in Apex Legends at the EWC.
Scheduled to take place in Paris, France, from July 6 to August 23, EWC 2026 will bring together more than 2,000 players representing 200 clubs from over 100 countries competing for a record-breaking prize pool of USD 75 million (~INR 714 crore).
-Team Sportstar
Published on Jun 08, 2026
![The NCAA can appeal Brendan Sorsby’s shocking reinstatement, but Texas law isn’t on their side Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has won a temporary injunction in his fight with the NCAA, and under the terms of the order issued by Judge Ken Curry in the District Court of Texas for Lubbock County, he is eligible to play for the Red Raiders during the 2026 season. Sorsby sought the injunction after the NCAA stripped the quarterback of his remaining collegiate eligibility due to multiple violations of the governing body’s gambling policy.However, there are some caveats to that statement. Several, in fact.The decision comes in the wake of a hearing held in the District Court of Texas for Lubbock County at the start of June. As outlined in Judge Curry’s four-page order, finding that Sorsby would suffer “a probable, imminent, and irreparable injury” if his eligibility was not reinstated, Judge Curry held that Sorsby “demonstrated a probable right to the relief he seeks on his claims for breach of contract, declaratory judgment, breach of duty of good faith and fair dealing, and breach of fiduciary duty.”Judge Curry further ruled that Sorsby “demonstrated that the balance of equities is in his favor because of the hardship he would face in the absence of a temporary injunction.”In the ruling, Judge Curry declared that the NCAA is barred from:Prohibiting [Sorsby] from practicing, playing, or otherwise participating on Texas Tech’s football team for the 2026 football season.Enforcing its Bylaw 12.9.4.2 (Rule of Restitution) against [Sorsby], Texas Tech, any affiliate of Texas Tech, any university that competes against Texas Tech during the 2026 college football season, or any affiliate of any such university for complying with, and relying on this Order.First, Sorsby — through his attorneys — sought a temporary injunction, which Judge Curry granted. As Judge Curry noted in the order, the temporary injunction will be in place until the final judgment in this matter, and “until a full trial on the merits of this matter” is conducted.Second, Judge Curry imposed six conditions that Sorsby is required to meet during the period of time the temporary injunction is in place. These include: (1) Commencing and continuing clinical counseling with a credentialed provider, focusing on relapse prevention, (2) Commencing and participating in peer support through Gamblers Anonymous or a comparable aid community, (3) Commencing and continuing treatment for Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety, to address the “underlying anxiety that served as the primary driver of [Sorsby’s] gambling behavior,” (4) Commencing and participating in athlete-specific recovery resources, (5) Not participating in game-day activities for the first two games of the Texas Tech season, and (6) Serving on the NCAA a report detailing compliance with the five previous conditions, on or before the fifth of each month during the order, to cover the previous month of compliance.Failure of Sorsby to comply with those conditions would allow the NCAA to “apply for emergency relief from this injunction.”The NCAA does have the right to appeal this ruling (more on that in a moment), but for now, Sorsby is reinstated, with a two-game suspension. That would mean the transfer quarterback would miss the season opener against Abilene Christian, and the game against Oregon State on September 12.In response to Judge Curry’s order, the NCAA released this brief statement:“The NCAA strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling in Sorsby’s case and is deeply concerned about the damaging, far-reaching and broadly destabilizing ramifications of this outcome — which undermines and corrupts the integrity of sports. The NCAA is committed to supporting student-athlete mental health but must continue to aggressively defend against actions that defraud college athletics and threaten competitive integrity, such as betting on one’s own sport.”As to whether the NCAA would appeal this temporary injunction, it is worth noting that the governing body would face a significant hurdle with such an appeal. Specifically, the standard of review from the appellate court. In 1919 the Texas Legislature codified the right to an appeal of a temporary injunction, declaring that a party “may appeal from an interlocutory order of a district court, county court at law, statutory probate court, or county court that … grants or refuses a temporary injunction or grants or overrules a motion to dissolve a temporary injunction.” See Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code Section 51.014(a)(4).So while the NCAA has the right to an appeal, the problem they will face is the standard of review. Appeals of these decisions are reviewed on one standard: Abuse of discretion. Judges in temporary injunction cases are given substantial deference in deciding those matters, and to overturn the order in this case, the NCAA must convince the appellate court that Judge Curry abused that discretion, and that the ruling was arbitrary, capricious, or failed to apply the law correctly in reaching the decision.Texas courts have defined this standard as follows: A trial court abuses its discretion if its decision is “arbitrary, unreasonable, and without reference to [any] guiding [rules and] principles” or is “so arbitrary and unreasonable as to amount to a clear and prejudicial error of law.” See Mercedes-Benz Credit Corp. v. Rhyne, 925 S.W. 2d 664 (Texas 1996) and Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833 (Texas 1992).To find such an abuse, the reviewing court must “determine that the facts and circumstances presented [to the trial judge] ‘extinguish any discretion [or choice] in the matter.’” See F.A. Richard & Assoc. v. Millard, 856 S.W.3d 419 (Texas App. 1993). The appellate court cannot simply substitute its own judgment for that of the trial court.When reviewing such a case, the appellate court asks two questions: Did the trial court have sufficient information to exercise such discretion, and did the trial court err in the application of that discretion?Simply put, an appeal by the NCAA of this ruling, given the great deference appellate courts show trial courts in these matters, seems unlikely to succeed.Still, the ruling has many wondering if the NCAA should still appeal, even given the difficult standard the governing body would face with such an appeal:Plus, there is the matter of precedent. If the NCAA ultimately loses on this matter, it would essentially become the “first and only American sports league to allow an athlete to compete after betting on his own games,” a point the NCAA argued in front of Judge Curry.Sorsby admitted to placing wagers of at least $90,000 on more than 9,000 bets during his time in college, including 40 bets of at least $850 on Indiana football while he was a member of the Hoosiers. Under NCAA rules, the penalty for a player gambling on their own team is permanent ineligibility.The NCAA could appeal and argue that the fact Sorsby admitted to those bets, in clear violation of stated NCAA rules, and yet has been reinstated under Judge Curry’s order amounts to a decision that is “legally unreasonable in the factual-legal context in which it [was] made.” See Landon v. Jean-Paul Budinger, Inc., 724 S.W.2d 931. That language has been held in Texas to overturn a trial court’s decision under the abuse of discretion standard.Given the precedent set by this decision, the NCAA likely appeals.But whether they succeeded on that appeal is a different story.And while the underlying case will ultimately go to trial, that might not occur until after the 2026 season is completed.So, for now at least, Sorsby is back on the Red Raiders for the upcoming season. #NCAA #appeal #Brendan #Sorsbys #shocking #reinstatement #Texas #law #isnt #side](https://i1.wp.com/platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/imagn-29015798.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.74496326631408%2C100%2C68.955068096497&w=1200&ssl=1 "The NCAA can appeal Brendan Sorsby’s shocking reinstatement, but Texas law isn’t on their side Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has won a temporary injunction in his fight with the NCAA, and under the terms of the order issued by Judge Ken Curry in the District Court of Texas for Lubbock County, he is eligible to play for the Red Raiders during the 2026 season. Sorsby sought the injunction after the NCAA stripped the quarterback of his remaining collegiate eligibility due to multiple violations of the governing body’s gambling policy.However, there are some caveats to that statement. Several, in fact.The decision comes in the wake of a hearing held in the District Court of Texas for Lubbock County at the start of June. As outlined in Judge Curry’s four-page order, finding that Sorsby would suffer “a probable, imminent, and irreparable injury” if his eligibility was not reinstated, Judge Curry held that Sorsby “demonstrated a probable right to the relief he seeks on his claims for breach of contract, declaratory judgment, breach of duty of good faith and fair dealing, and breach of fiduciary duty.”Judge Curry further ruled that Sorsby “demonstrated that the balance of equities is in his favor because of the hardship he would face in the absence of a temporary injunction.”In the ruling, Judge Curry declared that the NCAA is barred from:Prohibiting [Sorsby] from practicing, playing, or otherwise participating on Texas Tech’s football team for the 2026 football season.Enforcing its Bylaw 12.9.4.2 (Rule of Restitution) against [Sorsby], Texas Tech, any affiliate of Texas Tech, any university that competes against Texas Tech during the 2026 college football season, or any affiliate of any such university for complying with, and relying on this Order.First, Sorsby — through his attorneys — sought a temporary injunction, which Judge Curry granted. As Judge Curry noted in the order, the temporary injunction will be in place until the final judgment in this matter, and “until a full trial on the merits of this matter” is conducted.Second, Judge Curry imposed six conditions that Sorsby is required to meet during the period of time the temporary injunction is in place. These include: (1) Commencing and continuing clinical counseling with a credentialed provider, focusing on relapse prevention, (2) Commencing and participating in peer support through Gamblers Anonymous or a comparable aid community, (3) Commencing and continuing treatment for Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety, to address the “underlying anxiety that served as the primary driver of [Sorsby’s] gambling behavior,” (4) Commencing and participating in athlete-specific recovery resources, (5) Not participating in game-day activities for the first two games of the Texas Tech season, and (6) Serving on the NCAA a report detailing compliance with the five previous conditions, on or before the fifth of each month during the order, to cover the previous month of compliance.Failure of Sorsby to comply with those conditions would allow the NCAA to “apply for emergency relief from this injunction.”The NCAA does have the right to appeal this ruling (more on that in a moment), but for now, Sorsby is reinstated, with a two-game suspension. That would mean the transfer quarterback would miss the season opener against Abilene Christian, and the game against Oregon State on September 12.In response to Judge Curry’s order, the NCAA released this brief statement:“The NCAA strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling in Sorsby’s case and is deeply concerned about the damaging, far-reaching and broadly destabilizing ramifications of this outcome — which undermines and corrupts the integrity of sports. The NCAA is committed to supporting student-athlete mental health but must continue to aggressively defend against actions that defraud college athletics and threaten competitive integrity, such as betting on one’s own sport.”As to whether the NCAA would appeal this temporary injunction, it is worth noting that the governing body would face a significant hurdle with such an appeal. Specifically, the standard of review from the appellate court. In 1919 the Texas Legislature codified the right to an appeal of a temporary injunction, declaring that a party “may appeal from an interlocutory order of a district court, county court at law, statutory probate court, or county court that … grants or refuses a temporary injunction or grants or overrules a motion to dissolve a temporary injunction.” See Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code Section 51.014(a)(4).So while the NCAA has the right to an appeal, the problem they will face is the standard of review. Appeals of these decisions are reviewed on one standard: Abuse of discretion. Judges in temporary injunction cases are given substantial deference in deciding those matters, and to overturn the order in this case, the NCAA must convince the appellate court that Judge Curry abused that discretion, and that the ruling was arbitrary, capricious, or failed to apply the law correctly in reaching the decision.Texas courts have defined this standard as follows: A trial court abuses its discretion if its decision is “arbitrary, unreasonable, and without reference to [any] guiding [rules and] principles” or is “so arbitrary and unreasonable as to amount to a clear and prejudicial error of law.” See Mercedes-Benz Credit Corp. v. Rhyne, 925 S.W. 2d 664 (Texas 1996) and Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833 (Texas 1992).To find such an abuse, the reviewing court must “determine that the facts and circumstances presented [to the trial judge] ‘extinguish any discretion [or choice] in the matter.’” See F.A. Richard & Assoc. v. Millard, 856 S.W.3d 419 (Texas App. 1993). The appellate court cannot simply substitute its own judgment for that of the trial court.When reviewing such a case, the appellate court asks two questions: Did the trial court have sufficient information to exercise such discretion, and did the trial court err in the application of that discretion?Simply put, an appeal by the NCAA of this ruling, given the great deference appellate courts show trial courts in these matters, seems unlikely to succeed.Still, the ruling has many wondering if the NCAA should still appeal, even given the difficult standard the governing body would face with such an appeal:Plus, there is the matter of precedent. If the NCAA ultimately loses on this matter, it would essentially become the “first and only American sports league to allow an athlete to compete after betting on his own games,” a point the NCAA argued in front of Judge Curry.Sorsby admitted to placing wagers of at least $90,000 on more than 9,000 bets during his time in college, including 40 bets of at least $850 on Indiana football while he was a member of the Hoosiers. Under NCAA rules, the penalty for a player gambling on their own team is permanent ineligibility.The NCAA could appeal and argue that the fact Sorsby admitted to those bets, in clear violation of stated NCAA rules, and yet has been reinstated under Judge Curry’s order amounts to a decision that is “legally unreasonable in the factual-legal context in which it [was] made.” See Landon v. Jean-Paul Budinger, Inc., 724 S.W.2d 931. That language has been held in Texas to overturn a trial court’s decision under the abuse of discretion standard.Given the precedent set by this decision, the NCAA likely appeals.But whether they succeeded on that appeal is a different story.And while the underlying case will ultimately go to trial, that might not occur until after the 2026 season is completed.So, for now at least, Sorsby is back on the Red Raiders for the upcoming season. #NCAA #appeal #Brendan #Sorsbys #shocking #reinstatement #Texas #law #isnt #side")
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