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Agresta to speak to CC

Sebring high school 8-on-8 head football coach Anthony Agresta will be the guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early, the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Curbstone HOF applications

At this time, plans are underway for the Curbstone Coaches 57th Hall of Fame Induction ceremony that will be held on May 3.

Applications are being accepted for prospective hall of fame nominations. For an application to nominate or questions about the Hall of Fame ceremony, please call or text 3305066774.

Nominations will close on Nov. 10.

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Kilpatrick up for Campbell Trophy

Youngstown State punter Brendon Kilpatrick (Lakeview) is one of 177 semifinalists for 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is college football’s premier scholar-athlete award. Kilpatrick is one of just 44 FCS student-athletes to be named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy.

The impressive list of candidates, from all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, boasts an impressive 3.60 average GPA, with more than half of the semifinalists having already earned their bachelor’s degrees.

Celebrating its 36th year, the Campbell Trophy® recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.

Kilpatrick is in his third year as the starting punter and holder for the Penguins. Last year he was named the FCS Punter of the Year while earning third-team All-America honors. In his career, he has 96 punts for a school-record average of 44.9 yards a punt.

“This year’s 177 semifinalists represent the very best of what it means to play college football,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, whose sons Peyton (Campbell Trophy® winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “They have excelled in the classroom, distinguished themselves on the field, and proven to be leaders in their communities. The Campbell Trophy® stands as a reminder that football develops complete individuals, and these young men embody that tradition at the highest level.”

The NFF will announce 12-16 finalists on Oct. 22, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The finalists will travel to the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. Live during the event, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 36th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000.

“We are honored to celebrate such an extraordinary group of student-athletes as semifinalists for the Campbell Trophy®,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “Their accomplishments reflect the lasting impact of our game — building character, discipline, and leadership, extending far beyond football. Selecting finalists from this outstanding class will be a tremendous challenge, but it’s a challenge that underscores the unique prestige of this award.”

Launched in 1959, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments celebrate their 67th year in 2025. The awards were the first initiative in history to grant postgraduate scholarships based on both a player’s academic and athletic accomplishments, and the NFF has recognized 938 outstanding individuals since the program’s inception. This year’s postgraduate scholarships will push the program’s all-time distribution to more than $13.2 million.

Loyola’s Sister Jean retires at 106

Longtime chaplain for Loyola Chicago’s men’s basketball team, Sister Jean, has retired at 106 because of health concerns. The school’s student newspaper, The Loyola Phoenix, announced her retirement earlier this month.

Sister Jean rose to the spotlight during Loyola Chicago’s trip to the Final Four in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. She was spotted cheering courtside throughout the Ramblers’ improbable run.

She published a memoir in 2023, “Wake Up with Purpose! What I’ve Learned in My First 100 Years,” sharing lessons she’d learned throughout her life and offering spiritual advice. Sister Jean turned 106 on Aug. 21.

Sister Jean served as the team’s chaplain for 30 years, providing players with support, mentorship and encouragement. She became a beloved figure at the university and a local celebrity in the community.

Suns owner calls lawsuits ‘money grab

PHOENIX — Defiant Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia says he’s not worried about the multiple lawsuits his franchise is facing, with claims ranging from discrimination to wrongful termination.

Ishbia called the lawsuits a “money grab” on Wednesday at Suns media day.

The franchise have been sued multiple times since 2024. Most recently, two minority owners of the Suns sued Ishbia in August, demanding to see records in order to investigate the status of the team’s business and financial condition.

“As you guys know, anyone can file a lawsuit on any day they want for any reason they want,” Ishbia said. “I could file a lawsuit for that question, right? But the truth is, you’ve actually got to win a lawsuit.

“Where I’m different than most successful people, or people that you say have a lot money, is we don’t settle. So if we don’t do anything wrong, I’m not paying someone. If their threat is they’re going to go to the media and write (about) a lawsuit, have fun. Cool. Write it.”

Ishbia continued: “I hope you guys all report on how many lawsuits we actually lose. Because we haven’t lost one of them and we’re not going to lose any of them, to be honest, because they’re ridiculous.”

Among the lawsuits the team is facing:

In July, the Suns confirmed it fired Gene Traylor, a former security manager who filed a lawsuit against the team in May alleging discrimination, harassment and unlawful retaliation. The team said at the time that Traylor was terminated after an outside investigation found he’d violated company policies regarding confidential information.

Earlier in July, former Mercury interim coach Nikki Blue filed a lawsuit against the organization, alleging unequal treatment based on race and gender, unequal pay based on race and that her employment was terminated in retaliation for complaints about unequal treatment.

In November, Andrea Trischan sued the team, alleging racial discrimination and unlawful retaliation that led to her termination. Trischan was the team’s former manager of diversity, equity and inclusion for about 10 months in 2022 and 2023.

Ishbia, a mortgage executive, bought a majority stake of the Suns and Phoenix Mercury from embattled owner Robert Sarver for $4 billion. Ishbia and his brother Justin said then that they would be acquiring more than 50% of the franchises, which includes the entirety of Sarver’s share as well as some holdings from minority partners.

The sale was officially approved in February 2023.

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YSU’s Phillips to speak to Curbstone

Youngstown State head football coach Doug Phillips will be the speaker at Monday’s luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

He will be bringing some players.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

49ers’ Purdy ‘highly unlikely’ to start

SANTA CLARA. Calif. — Quarterback Brock Purdy is “highly unlikely” to start on Sunday for the San Francisco 49ers as he deals with a toe injury that has already sidelined him for one game.

Purdy was officially listed as questionable for the game against the Arizona Cardinals with a final decision on his status likely to come on Saturday. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy could be available as the backup or the emergency third quarterback if he can’t start.

“A lot of progress and thought he had a good week,” Shanahan said. “We’ll see how he does tomorrow. It’s highly unlikely that he will start.”

Mac Jones would start his second game for San Francisco if Purdy isn’t ready. Jones threw for 279 yards and three TDs in his first start last week against New Orleans.

If Purdy is inactive or designated as the emergency third quarterback, San Francisco would have to elevate Adrian Martinez from the practice squad on Saturday to be available for the game.

Purdy hurt his toe in the season opener at Seattle and missed last week’s win at New Orleans with the injury. He returned to practice this week on a limited basis.

Purdy initially hurt the toe in the first half against the Seahawks, but was able to play through the injury on adrenaline. Purdy went 26 for 35 for 277 yards with two TDs and two interceptions and led a game-winning TD drive capped by a 4-yard pass to Jake Tonges.

The pain got worse after the game and Purdy underwent an MRI that showed he had an injury that has been described as similar to turf toe but does not require surgery like the injury that could sideline Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow for three months.

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Bengals place QB Burrow on IR

CINCINNATI — The Bengals placed quarterback Joe Burrow on injured reserve Tuesday after he suffered a turf toe injury during the first half of Sunday’s 31-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Burrow is expected to be out at least three months because of the injury to his left foot. A timeline for surgery and rehabilitation has not been announced by the team.

Jake Browning will take over as Cincinnati’s starting QB beginning with this week’s game at Minnesota as the Bengals look to go 3-0 for the first time since 2015.

Browning went 4-3 as the Bengals’ starter in the final seven games of the 2023 season after Burrow was sidelined with a right wrist injury.

Brett Rypien will be Browning’s backup after he was signed off the practice squad. Rypien played in 10 games for Denver and the Los Angeles Rams from 2020-23.

The Bengals also signed Mike White and Sean Clifford to the practice squad.

White has played in 15 games with seven starts in previous stops with Dallas, the New York Jets, Miami and Buffalo. Clifford is a Cincinnati native who spent the last two seasons with Green Bay. Clifford played in two games in 2023 and was on the practice squad last year.

Europe could see hoops league in 2027

NEW YORK — A new basketball league based in Europe that the NBA and FIBA are working together to launch could begin play in 2027 or ’28, though no timeline has been finalized, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday.

Speaking at a conference hosted by Front Office Sports, Silver called a 2027 start “ambitious, no doubt about it” given the issues that still need to be addressed but did not rule out that possibility. He reiterated previous comments that the timeline could be two to three years, pointing out that existing arenas across Europe could be used at the beginning until more modern infrastructure is built up.

“I don’t think I’d want to go much longer than ’28,” Silver said. “The opportunity is now to do something like this.”

Silver earlier this year said getting the league off the ground closer to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 might make more sense.

The NBA and FIBA, the sport’s global governing body, announced plans in March to pursue a new European league — ending years of speculation about when or if such a move would happen. The process has been moving rapidly and a substantial move was made last month with the NBA brought on JPMorgan Chase and Raine Group to advise on finances and strategy going forward.

Silver said he and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum had positive meetings with political leaders, teams, media companies, possible investors and other stakeholders across Europe, while work continues in the league office.

Early plans call for the new league to have 16 teams, though that number could change. Existing European clubs like Real Madrid, Fenerbahce Istanbul and Barcelona are likely to figure into the NBA’s plans for the new league, along with other top soccer brands like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

About one in every six current NBA players is European, including Denver’s Nikola Jokic from Serbia and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece — who have combined for five of the last seven MVP awards — along with the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic from Slovenia and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama from France.

Bueckers wins WNBA rookie honor

Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers was a runaway choice for WNBA Rookie of the Year after one of the best debut seasons in league history.

Bueckers received 70 of the 72 votes from sports writers and broadcasters in balloting announced by the league on Tuesday. The other two went to Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron.

Bueckers, who in a whirlwind week last spring went from leading UConn to its 12th national championship to being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick, was a bright spot on a team that tied the Chicago Sky with a league-worst 10-34 record. The AP Rookie of the Year, she averaged 19.2 points on 47.7% shooting along with 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals.

But those numbers don’t tell the complete story.

Her 692 points and 194 assists were the third most by a WNBA rookie. The highlight was when she scored 44 in a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 20.

It was the WNBA’s highest point total this season and the most ever by a rookie. She also became the first player in league history to score 40 or more while shooting 80% in a game. That performance came near the end of a 30-game double-digit streak, the third longest to start a career behind A’ja Wilson’s 33 games in 2018 and Candace Parker’s 32 games in 2008.

Bueckers made an immediate impact when she arrived at UConn in 2020. She was the consensus national player of the year as a freshman and became a three-time All-American. She played just 17 games her second season and sat out the 2022-23 campaign with a torn ACL.

Goalie Hart will not return to Flyers

VOORHEES, N.J. — Philadelphia Flyers general manager Danny Briere said Tuesday the agent for free agent Carter Hart told the team the goalie has ruled out signing with the franchise when he is eligible to return to the NHL next month.

Hart is one of five players who were acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 when they were members of Canada’s world junior team. The NHL has since reinstated the players and said they would be eligible to sign contracts on Oct. 15 and take part in games on Dec. 1.

The NHL’s decision came roughly seven weeks after Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were found not guilty by a judge in London, Ontario.

Briere said a reunion with Hart would not happen.

“The only comment I’ll make on that is that his representative, Judd Moldaver, has reached out and kind of told us that in light of everything that happened in the last year and a half with Carter, they felt, and Carter felt, that it was better for them to look for a fresh start,” Briere said. “That’s where it’s at and it’s the only comment I’m going to make on that.”

Hart was considered the goalie for the future for the Flyers when he made his debut in 2018. He won 96 games and had six shutouts over a Flyers career that came to abrupt end in January 2024 in the wake of the charges.

None of the players had current contracts and all are free agents. McLeod and Foote were with New Jersey, and Dube with Calgary, while Formenton was playing in Europe, and their respective teams let their previous deals expire last year after charges were filed.

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Montana to speak at Curbstone

Longtime local high school football referee and college softball umpire Tony Montana will be the guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Fleury to suit up for Penguins

PITTSBURGH — Marc-Andre Fleury is ending his NHL career back where it began.

The veteran goaltender, who officially retired last spring following a 21-year career, signed a professional tryout contract with the Penguins on Friday and is going to suit up for the club during Pittsburgh’s exhibition game against Columbus on Sept. 27.

The 40-year-old Fleury was taken No. 1 overall by the Penguins in the 2003 NHL draft. He spent the first 13 seasons of his career in Pittsburgh, helping longtime teammates Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang win three Stanley Cups. Fleury left the Penguins after being selected by Vegas during the expansion draft shortly after Pittsburgh won the second of back-to-back championships in 2017.

“Marc means so much to our team, our fans and the City of Pittsburgh because of the person he is and the example he set,” Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement. “The Penguins feel he and his family are most deserving of this opportunity to celebrate this full-circle moment back where it all started in front of the black and gold faithful.”

Fleury ranks second all-time in NHL history in victories (575) and won the Vezina Trophy in 2021 while playing for Vegas.

Yet he is most well-known for his long tenure in Pittsburgh. Fleury holds nearly every major goaltending record in Penguins history, including games played (691), wins (375) and shutouts (44).

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Leetonia to host Northern 8 title

The Northern 8 Football Conference reached an agreement to have the 2025 state championship game played at Leetonia High School on Nov. 8.

The league sent a press release on Tuesday morning.

In the release, it was stated that the league hopes to “provide more exposure to the game by playing it in eastern Ohio.”

Sebring and Chalker are members of the Northern 8.

YSU men’s golf finishes 6th in W. Va.

Huntington, W. Va. — The Youngstown State men’s golf team opened its 2025-26 season with a sixth-place finish in the two-day Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational, which concluded on Tuesday from Guyan Golf & Country Club.

The Penguins concluded the event at six under par with a three-round team total of 846, which ranks as the second-lowest 54-hole performance in program history. It is the lowest 54-hole team score for the Penguins since recording a school-record 835 at the IPFW Fall Classic in 2007-08.

YSU opened its fall campaign with a 280 (-4) before carding a 278 (-6) in Monday’s second session. The Guins closed the tournament with a final-round 288 (+4) to finish tied for sixth in the 15-team field. YSU’s second-round 278 ranks as the fifth-lowest 18-hole performance in program history. It was the lowest single-round team score for the Penguins since posting a 276 at the Bucknell Invitational during the 2021-22 season.

Playing as an individual, Michael Porter (McDonald) tied for 21st to come in as YSU’s top finisher. The redshirt junior finished with a career-best three-round score of 211 (70-71-70). Porter’s one-under-par 70 in the opening round featured nine pars and five birdies while his final-round 70 included 11 pars and four birdies.

Ryan Sam (Boardman) finished tied for 26th with a three-round total of 212 (70-72-70). The senior’s first-round 70 featured 13 pars and three birdies while his final-round 70 included 11 pars and four birdies.

Rocco Turner (Cardinal Mooney) finished tied for 31st with a career-best three-round score of 213 (71-71-71). The sophomore fired a career-low, even-par 71 in the first round that featured nine pars, four birdies and an eagle on the par-five No. 8. Turner went on to card six birdies in the second session and three birdies on the back nine during the final round of action.

Jordan Kish finished tied for 39th with a career-best three-round total of 214 (71-69-74). The sophomore turned in a career-low, two-under-par 69 in Monday’s second round that featured 10 pars and five birdies. Kish eagled the par-four No. 3 during the final round of play on Tuesday.

Ayden Richmond finished tied for 48th with a career-best three-round score of 216 (68-71-77). The redshirt junior opened the season with a career-low, three-under-par 68 that included nine pars and six birdies. Richmond posted five birdies during an even-par round of 71 in the second session on Monday.

Nolan Shilling finished tied for 54th with a three-round total of 217 (77-67-73). The redshirt sophomore’s career-low, four-under-par 67 in the second round featured 12 pars and five birdies as he fired a three-under-par 33 on the front nine.

Eastern Kentucky claimed the tournament title at 25 under par with a three-round team total of 827. Murray State finished as the runner-up with an 837 while Ohio, Dayton and Marshall each tied for third place with an 842. YSU finished tied for sixth with Purdue Fort Wayne while Cleveland State placed eighth.

Cleveland State’s Brody Simms earned medalist honors by two strokes at 10 under par with a three-round score of 203 (69-69-65). Three different players finished tied for second on the individual leaderboard at eight under par.

Youngstown State will continue its fall schedule on Sept. 14-15 with the Mercyhurst Laker Fall Invitational at Lakeview Country Club in Erie, Pa.

Dolphins place OL Daniels on IR

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins have placed guard James Daniels on injured reserve after he suffered a pectoral injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Daniels, a former Warren G. Harding standout, went down three plays into the Dolphins’ first offensive drive and was replaced by Kion Smith. Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Daniels’ injury would take weeks to heal from, but he doesn’t expect it to be season-ending.

Daniels will be sidelined for at least the next four games, and the earliest he could return would be Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Miami also signed offensive lineman Cole Strange off the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad Tuesday. Strange was released by the Patriots last month after being drafted 29th overall by New England in 2022.

It isn’t yet known if Strange will play in Miami’s upcoming game against the Patriots on Sunday.

The Dolphins signed Daniels in free agency in March to bolster the offensive line, but his injury is a blow to a unit that already has depth issues.

Judge to hear MW-PAC 12 lawsuit

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge in California has heard arguments in the Mountain West Conference’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Pac-12 over $55 million in “poaching fees.”

Judge Susan van Keulen was not expected to make a ruling on the case on Tuesday.

“The Pac-12 Conference will continue to move forward with our legal action against the Mountain West Conference,” the Pac-12 said in a statement. “We appreciate the Court’s consideration of the issues at today’s hearing, and we will await its decision. We remain confident in the strength of our position and remain focused on advancing the academic excellence, athletic achievement, and tradition that have defined the Pac-12 for more than a century.”

The Pac-12 and some of the schools it has added have filed legal actions, claiming the poaching clause the league agreed to when it signed a scheduling agreement for its football teams for last season was invalid. The clause called for payments to the Mountain West of $10 million for the first team that left, with the amount growing by $500,000 for every additional team. That was on top of the $17 million-plus exit fees schools were responsible for as part of a different agreement.

Colorado State, Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Boise State are all set to join the Pac-12 starting in 2026.

The Pac-12 filed its federal antitrust lawsuit against the Mountain West last year and requested Tuesday’s hearing on the motion to dismiss after the two sides failed to reach an agreement through mediation.

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Strollo to speak at Curbstone

Ron Strollo, Youngstown State University director of athletics, will be the guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township. This will be the start of a new season of Monday luncheon speakers.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Alcaraz beats Djokovic at US Open

NEW YORK — Carlos Alcaraz used his youth, athleticism and creativity to assert himself against the much more accomplished, but also much older, Novak Djokovic and beat the 24-time major champion 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 at the U.S. Open on Friday for a berth in his third consecutive Grand Slam final.

By the end, Djokovic was “gassed out,” as he described it afterward, and seemed resigned to the result. The 38-year-old from Serbia reached the semifinals at all four Slams this season but exited in that round each time, three via losses to No. 2 Alcaraz, 22, or No. 1 Jannik Sinner, 24.

Alcaraz will face either defending champion Sinner or No. 25 Felix Auger-Aliassime for the championship on Sunday, when President Donald Trump plans to attend. Sinner could become the first repeat men’s champion in New York since Roger Federer won the hard-court tournament five years in a row from 2004 through 2008.

Alcaraz is seeking his sixth major title and second at Flushing Meadows. He defeated Sinner at the French Open in June and lost to his rival at Wimbledon in July.

Djokovic’s bid to become the first player in the sport’s history to get Slam No. 25 was blocked again, and he thinks part of the issue is trying to overcome much younger men in best-of-five set matches.

“I still want to play … (a) full Grand Slam season next year,” Djokovic said. “Let’s see whether that’s going to happen or not, but … Slams are Slams. They are just different from any other tournament. They are the pillars of our sport, the most important tournaments we have. But I do fancy my chances a bit more in best-of-three.”

Alcaraz and Sinner have combined to collect the past seven major championships and nine of the last 12. Djokovic won the other three in that span, most recently at the 2023 U.S. Open.

Thunder lose Sorber to ACL tear

OKLAHOMA CITY — Thomas Sorber will miss the entirety of what was to be his rookie season with the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the team said Friday.

Sorber tore the ACL in his right knee on Thursday, the team said.

The 6-foot-10 center was the No. 15 pick in this year’s draft out of Georgetown. This is the second consecutive year that the Thunder have seen a first-round pick be sidelined for the entire season because of an ACL injury; it also happened last year with guard Nikola Topic, the No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft.

Sorber averaged 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds for the Hoyas in his lone college season before turning pro.

Sky’s Reese suspended for a half

CHICAGO — Angel Reese was suspended by the Chicago Sky for the first half of the team’s game against Las Vegas on Sunday for comments she made that were “detrimental to the team.”

The team announced the suspension Friday. Reese already is missing the team’s game Friday night against Indiana because of a mandatory one-game suspension by the WNBA for picking up her eighth technical foul of the season.

“The Chicago Sky values the safety, respect, and well-being of every player. We are committed to accountability so our players can stay focused on playing basketball,” the team said in a statement. “This matter has been handled and resolved internally, and we are moving forward as a team.”

The two-time All-Star voiced her frustrations with the franchise, telling the Chicago Tribune that she “might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me” if the team doesn’t improve its outlook earlier in the week. She walked back those comments after Wednesday’s win over Connecticut. She had already apologized to the team. The Sky are 10-30.

Reese, who was the No. 7 pick in the WNBA draft last season, is averaging 14.7 points and and a league-best 12.6 rebounds. She has at least one more season on her rookie contract.

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YSU’s Machin gets HL weekly honor

Youngstown State junior right-side hitter Gabriela Machin has been named a Horizon League Volleyball Player of the Week, presented by Under Armour, for the opening week of the 2025 season. The conference office announced its awards on Tuesday.

It is the first weekly award of Machin’s career and follows when the junior from San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, was one of the league’s best attackers the opening week of the season.

Machin averaged 4.11 kills per set while hitting a team-best .443 as the Penguins went 2-1 at the YSU Invitational, presented by Mercy Health, at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. She ranked second in the league in points per set and attack percentage for the week while ranking third in kills per set. Additionally, Machin tied for the league lead with 0.56 aces per set.

Machin had 28 kills in 48 attempts and hit .521 in YSU’s two matches on Friday, posting 13 kills against Mercyhurst and 15 versus Duquesne. She added nine kills against Canisius on Saturday.

Youngstown State will be on the road for the first time this season when it competes this weekend at the Altoona Grand Red Flash Classic. The Penguins will play Lafayette on Friday, and they’ll take on Saint Francis (Pa.), the tournament’s host, and Siena on Saturday.

Basketball Hall of Famer Raveling dies

George Raveling, a Hall of Fame basketball coach who played a role in Michael Jordan signing a landmark endorsement deal with Nike, has died. He was 88.

Raveling’s family said Tuesday in a statement that he had “faced cancer with courage and grace.”

“There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players, and assistants — and to the world,” the family statement read. “He will be profoundly missed, yet his aura, energy, divine presence, and timeless wisdom live on in all those he touched and transformed.”

Raveling, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, had a career record of 335-293 from 1972-94 at Washington State, Iowa and Southern California. He had a losing record in his first season at each school before making multiple trips to the NCAA Tournament.

His success at those programs landed Raveling on the U.S. Olympic basketball staffs in 1984 and 1988.

Jordan was on the 1984 team that won gold at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and Raveling helped convince him to sign with Nike. He introduced Jordan to Sonny Vaccaro at Nike, which helped lead to a contract that gave Jordan his own brand, made him millions of dollars and changed the athletic apparel industry.

Marlon Wayans portrayed Raveling in the 2023 movie “Air” that focused on Nike’s courtship of Jordan.

“For more than 40 years, he blessed my life with wisdom, encouragement, and friendship,” Jordan said in a statement. “He was a mentor in every sense and I’ll always carry deep gratitude for his guidance. I signed with Nike because of George, and without him, there would be no Air Jordan.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called Raveling “a pioneering force” who helped make basketball an international game.

“During his long and impactful tenure at Nike, George traveled the world — mentoring multiple generations of players and coaches and promoting the sport that defined his identity,” Silver said in a statement. “He broke barriers as a college basketball coach and was a towering voice in our industry. I valued my friendship with George and admired how he led with poise, dignity and respect.”

Raveling also owned the original copy of the “I Have a Dream” speed by Martin Luther King Jr. He was working security at the 1963 March on Washington in which King delivered one of the most famous speeches in American history.

As King was exiting, Raveling saw him and asked if he could have the speech, and the reverend handed it to him. Raveling held on to the copy until 2021, when he donated it to his alma mater, Villanova.

He played at Villanova from 1957-60, averaged 12.3 points and 14.6 rebounds over his last two seasons. The Philadelphia Warriors drafted Raveling in the eighth round in 1960, but he didn’t play in the NBA.

“The finest human being, inspiring mentor, most loyal alum and a thoughtful loving friend,” Jay Wright, who coached Villanova to national championships in 2016 and 2018, posted on X. “Coach Raveling lived his life for others, His heart was restless and kind and now rests In the lord!”

Current Villanova coach Kevin Willard said in a statement that he has “long appreciated the enormous impact Coach has made not just on our game, but on so many of us in it. I know Villanova held a special place in his heart and we are forever grateful for his contributions to this program.”

Raveling was involved in a serious car crash while coaching USC in 1994, breaking nine ribs, his collarbone and pelvis.

Clark improving but not cleared

PHOENIX — Caitlin Clark is improving but still hasn’t been cleared for contact drills during practice.

With only a week left in the regular season, the Indiana star participated in full-court drills without defense during a shootaround before the Fever faced the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night.

Coach Stephanie White told reporters that the second-year guard had been limited to shooting drills and individual work. She said she hopes Clark will return before the end of the season. Indiana entered Tuesday seventh in the standings, battling for a postseason spot.

“She’s working as hard as she can to make sure that she is coming back or is capable of coming back,” White said. “I think that the long-term viewpoint of her health and wellness is the most important thing.”

Clark has been sidelined with a right groin injury since July 15 and Tuesday night’s game was the 19th in a row she has missed. The 2024 Rookie of the Year has only played in 13 games this season while dealing with injuries to her left quad, left groin and right groin.

White said last week that Clark needs to take part in multiple practices before she can be cleared to play. After Tuesday, Indiana has games against Chicago, Washington and Minnesota.

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