President Donald Trump signed an executive order today that bans transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.

The order is titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

It gives federal agencies the authority to ensure entities that receive federal funding interpret “sex” as the gender someone was assigned at birth.

It also authorizes the Education Department to penalize schools that allow transgender athletes to compete, citing noncompliance with Title IX, which prohibits sexual discrimination in schools.

Any school found in violation could potentially be ineligible for federal funding.

It comes as the WIAA is set to vote this April on an amendment that would enforce the same rule for Washington high schools, limiting participation in girls’ sports to those who were assigned female at birth.

Another proposed amendment would establish an open division for those who identify as transgender and nonbinary.

The timing of President Trump’s executive order coincided with National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

 

Huskies basketball is back on the radio.

The UW men are hosting Nebraska tonight at Alaska Airlines Arena.

The Huskies are coming off a tight 71-68 win over Minnesota last Saturday that snapped their six-game losing streak.

They’re looking to make their way out of the bottom of the Big Ten standings in their first season in the newly-expanded conference.

Coverage begins at 7:00 and tipoff is at 7:30 on KPUG.

Meanwhile, the Huskies women are currently battling Penn State on the road in hopes of ending their three-game skid.

 

The Kraken came up just short in a late-game comeback last night.

Seattle fell to the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 in shootouts.

Shane Wright and Chandler Stephenson scored a pair of goals late in the third period to send it to overtime.

But Patrick Kane scored his NHL-record 53rd career shootout goal to help the Red Wings get their seventh-straight win.

The Kraken have now lost four of their last five matches.

They’ll look to rebound tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the final game of their extended homestand.

 

A local high school basketball coach is being honored this spring.

Nooksack Valley girls coach Shane Wichers is among the five newest inductees into the Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.

Wichers is currently in his 29th season with the Pioneers and is coming off back-to-back state championships.

His induction ceremony takes place at 6 pm on Saturday, April 26 at King’s High School in Seattle.

 

We’ve got more high school basketball on the radio for you tonight.

The Squalicum boys are hosting Sehome in a cross-town match.

The Storm are looking to win their fourth straight game and bob their head above .500.

But the Mariners may have new-found momentum after edging out Bellingham last week to end their eight-game skid.

Coverage begins at 7:00 and tipoff is at 7:15 on KGMI with Randy Farmer and Jason Upton on the call.

 

Elsewhere in the county…

The Squalicum girls host Sehome.

The Lynden boys and girls will look to stay undefeated when they travel to take on Anacortes.

The Bellingham boys are at Burlington-Edison.

The Meridian boys and girls each host Sedro-Woolley.

The Nooksack Valley boys host Oak Harbor.

And the Nooksack girls are at Oak Harbor.