National Sports

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Sam Ryder wasn't sure his neck would feel good enough for him to play Thursday in the Valero Texas Open.

VANCOUVER — Returning to B.C. Place is a bit surreal for Casey Stoney. Ten years ago, she played there as part of the England squad that finished third in the 2015 World Cup.

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Redblacks have signed head coach Bob Dyce to a contract extension through the 2026 CFL season, the team announced Thursday. Dyce, 59, of Winnipeg, begins his third full season on Ottawa's sideline.

Alex Russell will captain Canada in the final round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in Krakow, Poland, where the Canadian men will look to take a step closer to regaining their spot in the elite HSBC SVNS circuit.

Former Toronto Argonauts president Brian Cooper has no doubt the Canadian Football League got it right hiring longtime television executive Stewart Johnston as its new commissioner. The CFL announced Johnston's appointment Wednesday.

The Canadian Premier League kicks off its seventh season Saturday with Atletico Ottawa's Sergei Kozlovskiy and J.D. Ulanowski serving as prime examples of the platform the domestic soccer league offers. Both have a bright future.

TORONTO — Toronto FC has acquired Swiss/Spanish midfielder Maxime Dominguez on loan from Brazil's Vasco da Gama, the Major League Soccer team announced Thursday. The loan runs through Dec. 31, with a purchase option at the end.

MONTREAL — Marie-Philip Poulin always feels honoured to represent her country on the international stage.

Paul Maurice has led hundreds of meetings across a long coaching career. The video rolls. There are points of emphasis. Players get their marching orders.

Canada climbed one spot to an all-time best No. 30 in the latest FIFA rankings released Thursday. The Canadian men had reached their previous high in November after climbing four places to No. 31. They were unchanged in the end-of-year December list.