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A 20-year-old Tufts University lacrosse player has died ... after she tragically choked during a hot dog eating contest over the weekend.

Madelyn "Madie" Nicpon -- a junior on the Jumbos' lax squad -- was participating in a competitive eating event off-campus on Saturday when something went horribly wrong.

According to The Journal News ... authorities said Nicpon fell unconscious after choking, and was rushed to the hospital after first responders got to the scene.

Sadly, Nicpon passed away just a day later on Sunday.

"In the face of this painful loss," school officials said in a statement, "our hearts go out to Madie's family and friends."

Thousands of students came out to the campus to mourn the loss of Nicpon shortly after her death Sunday evening ... surrounding her jersey with candles and remembering her fondly.

"We are beyond heartbroken to share the news of the passing of junior Madie Nicpon -- 'Scooter,'" the Tufts lax team wrote on Instagram. "Scooter was a true friend and teammate. She truly valued her relationships with her teammates and coaches."

"Her reach was far beyond our team -- she was a true connector on campus and touched every single person she met."

They added, "We love you, Scooter. Keep dancing from above."

Nicpon had played in several games in her first two years for the Jumbos, and was expected to be a key contributor this season.

nZo, formerly Enzo Amore, is returning to the ring years after parting ways with WWE, telling TMZ Sports he's performing at an upcoming MLW show ... and he doesn't want it to be a one-time appearance.

"Is MLW gonna be a one-off? Absolutely not. Line 'em up and knock 'em down," nZo tells us.

The 34-year-old says he's signed on to wrestle at MLW (Major League Wrestling) Fusion Alpha on November 6 in Philadelphia. The event will air on TV at a later date.

Of course, Amore was a big star in WWE ... linking up with Big Cass to form one of the most successful tag teams of the decade. Amore was released by WWE in 2018.

Even though his split with WWE ended less than ideally, nZo says he's grateful for his time with Vince McMahon's company.

"I have nothing but good things to say about the opportunity I was given [in WWE] because without it, I don't know where I'd be."

Since parting ways, the wrestler has occasionally worked local shows ... while also creating music. But, this is the first time the wrestler will be back on television.

nZo left us with the following message for the MLW roster.

"Now it's time for me to get in the ring with real competition and beat the hell outta them. I'm not playing games. If you can beat me up, then do it. I'm standing in from of you, I'm in the ring."

Drake's got enemies, got a lot of enemies, but Montrezl Harrell is NOT one of them ... so says the hooper, who claims their heated exchange that led to a technical foul was nothing more than friendly banter.

After the Raptors spent 2020-21 playing home games in Tampa, Drizzy was finally back courtside in the 6ix for the season opener on Wednesday ... and it went from 0 to 100 real quick in the 2nd quarter when the rapper appeared to get in a verbal spat with Harrell.

The Wizards forward was T'd up as a result ... and gave refs a piece of his mind as the Raps' Fred VanVleet nailed the tech free-throw.

Despite what it looked like, Harrell says there's no bad blood with Drake ... clearing the air in a postgame interview.

"Me and Drake was laughing," Harrell said. "There was no problem. Me and Drake cool. We even talked after the game."

Harrell claims he was having a chat with Drake when a Raptors coach got involved in the exchange ... and when the 27-year-old clapped back, he was hit with the tech.

Harrell will be fined $2,000 for the alleged worst behavior ... but he wants the penalty thrown out after explaining his side of the story.

"I need me money back," Harrell added.

"That definitely shouldn't of been no tech. If so, you gotta give it to me and the coach."

At the end of the day, Drake's antics didn't work -- the Raptors lost, 98-83.

P.K. Subban appears to be firmly back in the dating world after ending his engagement with Lindsey Vonn ... 'cause he was spotted out with a mystery woman at the Knicks game Wednesday night.

The NHL star cruised to Madison Square Garden with the woman by his side ... and while they never held hands or showed any kind of PDA publicly -- it's clear they showed up and left together.

No word on who the woman is or how the two met ... but it's the first time P.K. has been linked to a woman since his split with Vonn back in Dec. 2020.

The high-profile couple broke things off after dating for about 2 years ... with Vonn saying at the time, "We will always remain friends and love each other immensely."

Vonn has been spotted out in public with businessman Diego Osorio ... though it's unclear if they're an official couple.

Subban, meanwhile, didn't have much to say after watching the Knicks beat the Celtics in a double-overtime thriller on his off night from his Devils team ... only telling a camera guy, "I gotta get home now!"

LaMelo Ball had a bunch of highlight plays Wednesday night, so it's only fitting he stood out just as much after the game ... 'cause the Hornets star rocked an eye-popping neon suit -- and it matched his Lambo!!

20-year-old Ball put up 31 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in a big comeback win over the Indiana Pacers ... helping Charlotte cut a 23-point deficit to seal the dub in the season opener.

Despite the standout performance, Ball's suit maybe turned even more heads ... rocking the tennis ball-colored threads as he spoke with reporters after the game.

Melo was also draped in jewelry -- wearing his custom logo chain and a fancy watch.

As for the whip, it's a Lamborghini Urus that Melo copped during the offseason ... and those things ain't cheap, coming with a price tag north of $215,000 (and that's before any extra bells and whistles).

It's been over two months since the Olympics, but Simone Biles says she's still dealing with the "twisties" ... adding that she's straight-up "scared to do gymnastics"

Biles was hit with the issue in Tokyo in July -- explaining to her followers at the time that a mental block was preventing her from controlling her body while doing her most famous mid-air stunts.

Biles pulled out of multiple events due to it all ... though most figured she'd be able to return back to normal after a break.

But, in an emotional interview Thursday morning with "Today" show host Hoda Kotb ... Biles said she still can't fly through the air like she used to.

"It's not the same," the 24-year-old said, fighting back tears. "To do something that I've done forever, and just not be able to do it because of everything I've gone through is really crazy because I love this sport so much. It's hard. I'm sorry."

She added, "I'm still scared to do gymnastics."

Biles has been performing in the Gold Over America Tour the past few weeks ... though she said she's kept her routines simple and has avoided any twisting.

The gymnastics legend, though, said she's sure her tricks will "come back" eventually ... telling Hoda in the meantime she's happy to "be a leader for the survivors."

"I'm happy to be a voice for them," Biles said. "We go through our own things. It's hard."

Charles Barkley says there's no bad blood with Kenny Smith after their passionate debate over Kyrie Irving's refusal to get vaccinated ... telling TMZ Sports everything's cool between them.

We talked to Chuck outside LAX on Wednesday ... and asked the Hall of Famer if he was beefin' with The Jet after the 2 buddies got into a heated conversation on "Inside The NBA."

"Me and Kenny are great. We’re great," Barkley said, adding, "We can be different, it's all good."

If you missed it, Smith -- who is vaccinated -- basically said there's nothing anyone can do to force Kyrie to get the jab ... because the NBA All-Star is clearly willing to accept the consequences of not being vaxxed.

But, Barkley wasn't hearing it ... and the almost always light-hearted and jovial former NBA MVP vehemently disagreed with Kenny's take on Irving.

So, fans wondered ... could the friends be on the outs? Thankfully, Barkley set the record straight.

Chuck also doubled down on the vax, again pleading with the unvaccinated to get the shot.

"They do have the right, but this is not about the right for you. You’re trying to take care of other people. You do have the right not to get vaccinated, but that's selfish in my opinion. I wouldn't want to get somebody sick."

Barkley's message, in closing ... get the damn shot.

Tragic news from Conor McGregor -- the UFC superstar's beloved dog, Hugo, has passed away.

Conor gave a heartfelt goodbye to his four-legged friend minutes ago ... saying, "So heart broken to say my dog Hugo has passed away."

McGregor reflected on the memories he shared with the mixed-breed for so many years ... dating back to the days before he became a household name in the MMA community.

"He was with me all the way, my closest companion. From sleeping on a bed frame without a mattress to everything else that came after. Thank you for all the work put in alongside me to get this life correct for our family."

Conor shared several pictures with Hugo on Instagram on Wednesday ... showing them side-by-side as he trained, relaxed and enjoyed his downtime.

"All the love and cuddles we will miss forever and ever our Hugo! Gutted 💔"

Forget the plays in the field made by Alex Bregman and Xander Bogaerts ... the best catch during Wednesday's ALCS game happened in the stands -- when a Red Sox fan caught a splintered bat with one hand!!

The wild play all went down in the 2nd inning of the Sox's Game 5 tilt with the Astros ... when Rafael Devers broke his bat trying to hit a pitch off Houston starter Framber Valdez.

In footage of the play, you can see part of the bat went flying into the crowd -- a very scary sight, considering the piece of lumber had a sharp and jagged edge on it.

But, 41-year-old Matt Ferrera stuck out his hand and managed to catch it regardless ... saving everyone around him and avoiding injury himself.

Ferrera -- who appeared to be allowed to keep the bat by Fenway Park officials -- told Yahoo Sports' Hannah Keyser after the play his life did not flash before his eyes.

"I just saw the bat coming," Ferrera said. "And I was like, 'I got to grab that thing.'"

Kyler Murray had a bone to pick with Myles Garrett following their game Sunday ... telling the Cleveland Browns star he was ticked over his inclusion in the dude's Halloween QB graveyard!

Murray's hilarious beef was all picked up on a hot mic after the Cardinals beat Cleveland ... with the quarterback asking Garrett why he had to be on one of the headstones in the pass-rusher's front lawn.

"Why you got me in the graveyard, dawg?!" Murray asked. "Why you got me in the graveyard?!"

Garrett gave a sheepish smile and then explained, "I need some added motivation."

Murray clearly didn't love the answer, replying back, "Damn!" But, he did tell Garrett he did appreciate not having a "RIP" on his marker.

As we previously reported, Garrett has laid out QB gravestones in front of his house to celebrate the spooky season ... with Murray, Lamar Jackson, Ben Roethlisberger and four others being featured in the decorations.

Garrett had said they were up because he thought they were funny, and that he liked being "kind of a troll."

Don't worry ... it seemed like Murray didn't care that much, 'cause he complimented Garrett's game and said, "You're the best at it, man."

Jamal Murray is letting Denver Nuggets fans know their boy is almost back -- posting footage of him completing a dunk six months after ACL surgery!!

The NBA star tore his ACL in his left leg when he drove by Golden State Warriors' Andrew Wiggins in April -- ending his season.

Murray had ACL surgery right after ... and is showing major progress 6 months later by posting a video on his IG of him completing a dunk.

The 24-year-old guard posted video of his journey back on Wednesday ... showing him on crutches following the surgery before fast-forwarding to the new footage of him jumping straight up for a dunk.

Murray appears to land back on the hardwood with no issue ... which is awesome to see.

Definitely a good sign for Nuggets fans who are anxiously waiting for their star to return ... but they might have to wait a little longer as he makes his way back to 100%.

"That’s the biggest thing for me coming back, is having confidence in it," Murray said this week.

"That’s just going to come with time. And I can’t rush time."

Luka Doncic hasn't played a minute of the 2021 season yet, but the Dallas Mavericks star is already making highlight plays ... by donating Jordan shoes and other merch to children at local hospitals!!!

The 22-year-old wanted to give back to his new home ahead of the new campaign, so he put together goodie bags filled with the sneaks, hoodies, socks, bags, letters and signed photos for 80 kids at Children's Health in Dallas and Plano.

On top of the swag, Luka also provided a "Luka and Bobi" coloring book, which features a story of his friendship with teammate Boban Marjanovic, as well as individual-sized pizzas with pepperonis in the shape of his #77 AND dessert to kids and staffers throughout the hospital.

Luka spoke about the gesture, saying he wanted to hand deliver the gifts to all the kids, but wasn't able to due to health and safety concerns.

"I really wish I could have been there to meet and talk to the kids but hopefully this surprise brought a smile to their faces and encouraged them to stay strong," Doncic said.

"I just want all the kids and parents to know I'm thinking of them!"

The kids certainly felt the love ... and the pics and videos from the big surprise will warm your heart.

Awesome stuff, Luka.

Kristin Cavallari says her romantic relationship with Jay Cutler didn't officially end after they filed for divorce -- the reality star says the two actually dated again following their famous split, but she realized quickly, "This is wrong."

Cavallari broke it all down on Podcast One's "Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe" this week ... saying shortly after she ended things with Jay in April 2020, she wondered if it was the right decision.

So much so, Cavallari admitted she and the NFL QB went on multiple dates to consider rekindling their relationship.

"The thing with Jay and I is we're not getting a divorce because of love lost, which made it really challenging because we were crazy about each other," Cavallari revealed.

"I just decided I didn't want to be in a toxic relationship anymore and I had to break it off. But, that's made it hard and made me sit here and question it for a few months."

Kristin says that led to her going out again with Cutler ... but, apparently, the outings didn't go so hot for the couple.

"I was like, 'No, this is wrong,'" Cavallari said. "It just wasn't there anymore. It's not there for me anymore."

She later added, "Going back and dating him a little bit made me reaffirm it like, 'No, I know that I'm doing the right decision.'"

Cavallari hinted on the podcast that her and Jay's current relationship isn't the best at the moment, calling it "a rollercoaster" ... and explaining if the two didn't have children together, she "would never talk to him ever again."

"I think when we go through a breakup, like all of the sudden our minds turn on us, and we only remember the good times," Cavallari said ... "And, then reality sets in and you're like, 'Oh no. No. No. There's a reason why I left.'"

Kristin has been linked to several people since the Cutler breakup -- including most recently country music star Chase Rice.

WWE legend "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan is hospitalized, and needs emergency surgery, his wife announced on Wednesday.

Hacksaw's wife, Debra Duggan, announced the troubling news on social media, writing "Back where we don't want to be. Please pray for Jim and his doctors as he has emergency surgery this morning. Thank you"

Some of the biggest wrestlers in the world have shown love for Hacksaw. Hulk Hogan, Jim's longtime buddy, wrote "Love you my brother, praying for only perfect health HH"

FYI, Duggan was one of the biggest wrestling stars of his era ... and actually won the first-ever Royal Rumble in 1988. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by "The Million Dollar Man," Ted DiBiase, in 2011.

67-year-old Duggan has battled health issues over the last few years. Back in 2018, Jim was hospitalized in the ICU after his heart went into atrial fibrillation (aFib), which is an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, strokes, and other serious heart issues.

At the time, Jim told us he feared he was going to die ... expressing incredible gratitude for the doctors who saved his life.

"My main concern, I have 2 daughters and my wife, I just wanted to survive it. Thankfully, it looks like I'll be able to," Duggan said in 2018.

Now, Duggan -- whose medical condition is unknown --  is back in the hospital, awaiting surgery.

Chris Brown has entered the Kyrie Irving COVID-19 vaccine saga ... calling the NBA star a "real hero" for refusing to get the jab.

The musician -- who has been tight with Uncle Drew for years -- sang Irving's praises as he remains banned from Brooklyn Nets practices and games for being unvaccinated ... posting to Instagram on Wednesday to share his two cents.

"I stand with my brother," CB said. "WHOEVER DON'T LIKE IT ... Go live your damn life."

"IT'S HIS CHOICE AND A DAMN GOOD ONE"

Of course, Irving is adamantly against getting vaccinated to be able to play this season ... despite reports claiming he is NOT anti-vax, but standing up for people losing their jobs over vaccine mandates.

Irving has been bashed left and right for holding firm on his stance ... with NBA commish Adam Silver even publicly calling for him to get vaxxed so he can get back to hooping.

Breezy -- who's previously taken issue with Juvenile's pro-vaccine remix of "Back That Azz Up" -- wants it known he's not siding with the criticism.

Dick Vitale says cancer will not get in the way of his passion for college hoops -- explaining in an emotional video he's still planning to call games despite chemotherapy treatments.

The legendary broadcaster revealed his lymphoma diagnosis earlier this week -- and said Wednesday he's been prescribed steroids and six months of chemo to try to eradicate it.

But, Dickie V -- who's been providing commentary on games since the 1970s -- made it clear he's going to do everything in his power to stay on the air during the treatment process.

"They're going to try to plan the chemo so I can be free to do some games," Vitale said. "Which I've got to do -- that's my best medicine of all."

The 82-year-old says he's been overwhelmed by the amount of love he's received since announcing his diagnosis ... nearly breaking down in tears while thanking everyone for their support.

"I'm going to beat it because I got a great team," Vitale said. "Great family, my second family ESPN, all my colleagues have been so kind and so good and I have a great team of doctors who are all involved."

He then guaranteed that he will win his battle with the disease ... adding, "Take that to the bank. There's no doubt in my mind."