RIO DE JANEIRO -- It was a special Monday night in Brazil for Ole Miss alum Sam Kendricks, who captured a bronze medal in the mens pole vault at the 2016 Olympic Games.In a dramatic competition that came down to three final vaulters, Kendricks rose to the occasion by clearing 5.85 meters (19-2.25) on his first try. He had three very close attempts at 5.93m/19-5.5, while Brazils Thiago Braz da Silva claimed gold with an Olympic record mark of 6.03m and defending champion Renaud Lavillenie of France won silver with a clearance at 5.98m.Kendricks is the first American man to win an Olympic medal in the pole vault since 2004, and hes the third Ole Miss track & field representative to medal at the Olympics. Brittney Reese, who will compete Tuesday, was the womens long jump gold medalist in 2012. Tony Dees was the silver medalist in the 110-meter hurdles in 1992.Before Mondays competition began, Kendricks dedicated his performance to the six Oxford citizens who died in a plane crash over the weekend, and the children and families they left behind. By many accounts, his performance in Rio was a healing balm the town of Oxford needed after such a tragic occurrence.The hundreds of fans that watched him from the Square in his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi, cheered him on with fervor as each bar was raised a bit higher. He is the first Olympian from the small town in which he grew up, graduated from both high school and college, and still lives and trains.Kendricks was lauded by NBC commentators and across the social media landscape for his great sportsmanship and class, as he was seen congratulating his opponents and cheering for each competitor throughout the night.I know that the Olympics is like a high tide, it raises all boats and it brings the best out of all of us, Kendricks said. I was so happy to watch my friend Thiago [Braz] set his personal best in his home country in front of his home crowd, and I think that I thrived off of that as well.I did not set a personal best but I attempted it. I missed it very close three times, so I cannot be ashamed of my effort. Im very proud of my bronze medal, what me and my coach (father and Ole Miss alum Scott Kendricks) and my family have achieved. This particular competition was a lot of fun for me - I knew all of the competitors by name, theyre all good friends of mine. Weve traveled together and have competed together many times. We even trade victories very often.Its been an impressive rise to international prominence for Kendricks, who was a two-time NCAA champion and two-time SEC champion in three seasons at Ole Miss. Since turning pro, he has won five U.S. pole vault titles, set a U.S. Olympic Trials record earlier this summer, was ninth at last years IAAF World Championships and runner-up at this years IAAF World Indoor Championships in March.Another former Rebel also competed and advanced on Monday. Nigerias Antwon Hicks ran a 13.70 in his heat of the 110-meter hurdles to move on to Tuesdays semifinals.Hicks and Reese will both compete Tuesday, as Reese will begin her gold medal defense with the womens long jump qualifying round.On Sunday night, one of Kendricks former Ole Miss teammates, Ricky Robertson, represented Team USA in the mens high jump qualifying and placed 17th with a clearance at 2.26m/7-5. The top 15 qualifiers advanced to the final. Adidas Jaycob Megna Jersey . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Adidas Lukas Dostal Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. http://www.cheapducksjerseys.com/?tag=adidas-jean-sebastien-giguere-jersey . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Adidas Ondrej Kase Jersey . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Adidas Giovanni Fiore Jersey . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. The New Orleans Pelicans and former Indiana Pacers forward Solomon Hill have agreed to a four-year contract worth about $50 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Friday.The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract cannot be signed until July 7, said the contract is worth at least $48 million, with additional incentives of about $2 million.Later in the day, the Pelicans agreed to terms with veteran combo guard ETwaun Moore on a four-year, $34 million deal, which was announced by Moores agency, Priority Sports.Hills decision was influenced by a meeting with Pelicans personnel, including coach Alvin Gentry, shortly after free agency began Friday at midnight EDT, the person said.Hill is expected to enter training camp as a front-runner to start at small forward. Hill wrote on Twitter: Looking forward to continuing to live my dream with the (at)PelicansNBA.The 6-foot-7 Hill has averaged 6.0 points and 3.1 rebounds in his first three NBA seasons since the Pacers drafted him 23rd overall in 2013 out of Arizona.He averaged 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in a little more than 14 minutes during this past regular season, but his playing time rose dramatically late in the season as games took on greater importance.He wound up averaging 7.7 points and four rebounds in aabout 28 minutes per game during the Pacers seven-game, opening-round playoff series loss to Toronto.ddddddddddddow Hill will have a chance to explore his potential as a powerful, versatile wing player in a lineup headlined by All-Star forward Anthony Davis and guard Jrue Holiday.Hills acquisition also reduces the Pelicans reliance on small forward Quincy Pondexter, who helped New Orleans make the playoffs two seasons ago, but missed all of last season because of a setback during his recovery from microfracture surgery on his left knee.Moore spent the previous two seasons in Chicago and has earned the reputation as a hard-nosed, defensive-oriented guard who will bring some more toughness to the Pelicans backcourt. He averaged 7.5 points and shot 45 percent on 3-pointers last season.New Orleans won only 30 games and missed the playoffs last season, Gentrys first as the clubs coach. But the Pelicans were riddled with injuries to regulars, including Tyreke Evans (57 games missed), Eric Gordon (37 games missed), Davis (21 games missed), Holiday (17 games missed), Ryan Anderson (16 games missed) and Omer Asik (14 games missed).---AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report. ' ' '