Football (CFL)

TORONTO — Damien Alford can get back to being a football player. The Calgary Stampeders selected the Utah receiver first overall in the CFL draft Tuesday. Alford said hearing his name called was exciting but also a huge relief.

TORONTO — Australian punter Fraser Masin was the first player taken Tuesday in the CFL's global draft.

Dave Dickenson will have plenty of options in the CFL draft Tuesday night. The Calgary head coach and general manager holds four of the first 20 picks, including two in the first round (Nos. 1, 8).

TORONTO — Stanford receiver Elic Ayomanor topped the CFL scouting bureau's final top-20 list Monday.

TORONTO — Stewart Johnston plans to ease into his new role as CFL commissioner. Johnston officially took office Thursday following 28 years at TSN. He'd served as the sports broadcaster's president since 2010.

ROSEVILLE, Minn. (AP) — The flyers started appearing around the Augustana University campus earlier this year, followed by the all-student email blast. A club team was forming for women's flag football, with room for all comers.

CAGLIARI — Max Nixon scored touchdowns on an interception return and blocked punt recovery as Canada defeated Italy 56-0 in an exhibition senior men's football contest Saturday. The game was the first between the two countries.

OTTAWA — Greg Ellingson is calling it a career and retiring as an Ottawa Redblack. Ellingson, 36, played 10 CFL seasons with Hamilton (2013-14), Ottawa (2015-18), Edmonton, (2019, 2021), Winnipeg (2022) and Montreal (2023).

Christian Covington has always been aware of his Hall of Fame father's many football achievements, but he now has a deeper appreciation of them. Covington is heading into his second season with the B.C.

VANCOUVER — Larry Donovan, a former head coach of the B.C. Lions, has died. He was 84. The Lions confirmed Donovan's death Monday. The cause was not divulged. Donovan joined the Lions as special-teams and defensive-line coach in 1986.