LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has been named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time. That ties the two-way superstar with Michael Jordan, an athlete Ohtani followed while growing up in Japan. He trails only Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James, who each won the award four times.

Ohtani received 48 votes in balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members. He earned his third National League Most Valuable Player award after helping the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title. Ohtani hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases as the first player with a 50-50 season.

His dog, Decoy, became a celebrity, too, helping Ohtani deliver a ceremonial first pitch at a game.

MICHIGAN FALLS OUT OF AP TOP 25

Tennessee and Auburn remained Nos. 1-2 atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

They were the headliners among the Southeastern Conference’s haul of 10 ranked teams. Iowa State, Duke and Alabama rounded out the top five. Kentucky had the week’s biggest fall, sliding six spots to No. 10 after a loss to Ohio State.

Mississippi State, Arkansas, Illinois and Baylor rejoined the poll after stints in the rankings earlier this season.

They replaced Memphis, Dayton, Michigan and Clemson. The Big 12 and Big Ten were tied for second with five teams each in the AP Top 25.

VICK INTRODUCED AT NORFOLK STATE

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Michael Vick has been introduced as Norfolk State’s football coach, a homecoming for the former NFL star and a splashy, attention-grabbing hire for a program that has struggled in recent years.

Vick donned a Norfolk State letterman’s jacket and cap in front of a crowd of supporters that included fellow Hampton Roads, Virginia, sports greats Allen Iverson and Bruce Smith.

Vick led Virginia Tech to the national championship game as a redshirt freshman and was selected No. 1 overall in the 2001 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

His career was derailed by his conviction in 2007 for his involvement in a dogfighting ring.

NCAA APPEALING PAVIA INJUNCTION

The NCAA on Monday appealed the preliminary injunction granted by a U.S. federal judge giving Diego Pavia another year of eligibility even as the organization’s Division I board of directors granted a waiver allowing athletes in a similar situation as the Vanderbilt quarterback to play in 2025-26.

The injunction Dec. 18 was limited to Pavia arguing he was likely to win on his argument that NCAA Division I eligibility rules discriminated against his junior college seasons.