EUGENE, Ore. -- Its not so much the logo on the outside of the shoes as the feet on the inside that can carry Boris Berian to the Olympics.After Nike dropped its lawsuit against him last week, the 800-meter runner was able to concentrate solely on racing. Berian turned in the fastest time in the first round Friday at the U.S. Track and Field Trials while wearing new spikes from New Balance.Its a big weight off my shoulders, said the 23-year-old Berian, who flipped burgers at a McDonalds in Colorado Springs, Colorado, two years ago to make ends meet while he trained. I didnt know how much it was really bothering me until (Nike) dropped it.There was a time when Berian didnt even know if he would be allowed to compete at trials given the state of the lawsuit.At a meet in May in Southern California, Berian was sued by Nike Inc., which accused him of breach of contract. His endorsement deal with Nike went through Dec. 31, 2015, but gave the company the right to match any other offers. Nike felt it matched an offer presented by New Balance Athletics Inc., which Berian preferred.A judge was scheduled to issue a ruling earlier this week before Nike announced it was dropping the suit.I was just trying to stay as focused as I can -- keep all the crazy, legal stuff to my agent and lawyers and me relax and focus on running, Berian said. I was definitely annoyed every single day, just kept training.Now, hes a clear favorite to earn an Olympic spot at the Rio Games, especially after an opening round of the 800 in which NCAA champion Donavan Brazier and 2012 Olympian Duane Solomon failed to qualify. Another favorite, Nick Symmonds, withdrew the day before because of a torn ligament and stress fracture in his left ankle.I have some great competition out here. Cant let off t much, Berian said. Got to keep pushing it. Cant underestimate anyone out here.Berian is a bit of a cult hero to some of his competitors for standing up to Nike. Several have praised him for not backing down under the pressure.They give me a lot of gd support, Berian said. Were like a family. Even though were enemies on the track, were all gd friends.His new shoes arrived two days ago. Hes still breaking them in.It was a gd present, Berian said. It made me happy. Jesse Barfield Jersey . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. http://www.bluejaysonline.com/blue-jays-billy-mckinney-jersey/ . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Marcus Stroman Jersey . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Dalton Pompey Blue Jays Jersey . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. Floridas Allie Monserez doesnt tower over her teammates, and she isnt terribly flashy with her sets. Toss a compliment to the 5-ft-9 redshirt sophomore about leading the nation in assists per set and shes quick to tout her surrounding cast -- Carli Snyder, Alex Holston and Rhamat Alhassan, three of the best hitters in the game.But Gators coach Mary Wise will tell you Monserez, the espnW national volleyball player of the week, is awfully gd, t.Shes a point guard whos not going to score a ton of points but can recognize the open player and can get them the ball and can do it without a whole lot of fanfare, Wise said. She just delivers a killable ball, and as the season has gone on, shes learned not just how but when to do it.In weekend victories over LSU and Texas A&M, Monserez recorded 89 assists. Also the SEC player of the week and the AVCA national player of the week, Monserez tied the mark for any SEC player this season in a four-set match with 57 assists against Texas A&M on Sunday. Monserez posted her third double-double of the season at LSU with 32 assists and a career-high 16 digs. Tenth-ranked Florida leads the SEC in hitting percentage at .323.Our hitters have been hitting at such a high efficiency, its been a really fun environment to be in, Monserez said. Having Alex, Rhamat and Carli up there, I have full faith and trust Im going to put it up, and theyre going to give it their best swing.Monserez started her career at South Carolina, averaging 4.87 assists and posting five double-doubles as a freshman before deciding the program wasnt the best fit for her. Gainesville was 90 minutes from her hometown, Windermere, and her sister, Madison, had been a defensive specialist for Florida, so the transfer to Wises perennial powerhouse was natural. She sat out last season, learning from Mackenzie Dagostino and watching the tendencies of Snyder, Holston and the otherworldly Alhassan, perhaps the most athletic middle blocker in the sport.Mackenzie was a great mentor, Monserez said. She was so composed on the court.dddddddddddd Watching her really helped me.Wise said like Dagostino, Monserez is undersized, and she realizes how much harder she has to work, she said. She was here last summer. Alex, Carli, Rhamat and Allie, the time they put in the gym, without any coaches, was invaluable. We needed them to be on the same page. Allie is not 6-feet tall. Shes not a lefty. Shes never made a USA team. Shes just been the consummate stabilizer doing what she needs to do for the team to be successful.Although Monserez didnt travel in 2015, Snyder made her feel part of the team as sn as she set ft in Gainesville with a coffee invite. Monserez followed every road game religiously online and tk part in the group text afterward. Repeated viewings of Cameron Diaz in The Holiday added to giggles and bonding with her teammates.Its crazy how 18 girls can be so close, she said. We all love the song Caroline by Amine. We all know all the words. So we sing that in the locker rm before the games.Monserez grew up a tennis, basketball and volleyball player, starting out as a setter at age 7. Her family is full of athletes. In addition to Madison, her dad played basketball in Europe, one cousin played baseball at Xavier, while other cousins played basketball at Butler and Lehigh. Her mom, a Gator alumna, competes in the open tennis league in Orlando, and her younger sis, Marlie, has already committed to Florida volleyball for 2018.Allie and Marlie have never played together, but will get the chance when Allie is a senior and Marlie is a freshman.Theyll be lots of volleyball to play before then. Florida (17-2, 6-1), winner of 21 SEC titles under Wise, sits third behind unbeaten conference rivals Kentucky and Missouri.I see us having a really great season and making it to the final four, Monserez said. If were all playing Gator volleyball, I know something really special is going to happen this year. ' ' '