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Curbstone HOF tickets available

Plans are underway for the 57th annual Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame Induction ceremony which is set for May 3 at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman.

The keynote speaker will be former Pittsburgh Steelers standout wide receiver Louis Lipps.

Tickets are now available by contacting Patty Schuley at 3302078157.

This year’s event is sponsored by Briarfield Health Care Centers and Ed and Diane Reese.

The cost of each ticket is $60 and $480 for a table of eight.

For any questions about the banquet or Curbstone Coaches, call 3305066774.

NCAA targeting change proposed

INDIANAPOLIS — Division I football rules makers have proposed a one-year trial rule allowing a player disqualified for targeting for the first time to play in his team’s next game regardless of which half the penalty was assessed, the NCAA announced Thursday.

Currently, players disqualified for targeting must miss the rest of the game and, if the penalty occurs in the second half, sit out the first half of the next game.

Under the Division I Football Rules Subcommittee’s proposal, a player disqualified for targeting a second time during the season would miss the first half of the next game. A third targeting ejection in the same season would cause the offending player to miss the entire next game.

Targeting is forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck area where the offending player often uses the crown of his helmet to make contact or launches his body into the opposing player above the shoulders.

Oversight committees for the Bowl Subdivision and Championship Subdivision must approve proposals before they become official. Those committees meet next month.

“This continues the evolution of our targeting rule and balances the important safety impact with an appropriate penalty structure,” said A.J. Edds, rules subcommittee chair and vice president of football administration for the Big Ten. “We will closely monitor this one-year adjustment, and the committee believes it is important to enhance the progressive penalty to ensure proper coaching and player education.”

Dress code

The rules subcommittee proposed that players wear leg coverings from the top of their shoes to the bottom of their pants. Players would have to wear the same covering style and colors for that particular game.

Players out of compliance with the rule would have to leave the game for at least one down and correct the issue. A team would receive a warning for the first offense.

If a team has a second offense under this proposal, the offending team would be given a 5-yard penalty. Any subsequent violations of the rule would result in a 15-yard penalty.

Fair catch kick

Under a proposal, a team could choose to attempt a fair catch kick after a completed or awarded fair catch. The kick would be a field goal place kick with a holder or a drop kick from the spot where the returner caught the ball. The defense would be at least 10 yards from the spot of the kick.

If the ensuing kick goes through the uprights, it would be worth three points.

Subcommittee members believe adding the rule would align Division I rules with those in the NFL and high school football. The rarely used play came up in 2024 in the NFL when the Los Angeles Chargers’ Cameron Dicker converted from 57 yards against the Denver Broncos.

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Westminster coach headed to Duke

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — Westminster College Director of Athletics Jason Lener announced Monday that head football coach Scott Benzel has accepted a position on Manny Diaz’s staff at Duke University. Offensive coordinator EJ White will serve as interim head coach as the College launches a nationwide search for its next leader.

“I want to thank the Westminster community for all the support given to me and my family over our 12 seasons. Being part of the Titan football tradition has been truly special. Westminster will forever be a part of us, and I’m excited to watch the continued success of the program and the standard that Titan football demands,” said Benzel.

Benzel, who completed his 12th season leading the Titan program in November, has produced a remarkable run of sustained success – both on and off the field – since becoming the head coach in January 2014.

Benzel led Westminster to PAC titles in the unprecedented 2020-21 spring COVID-19 season and the 2021 fall season. His 85 wins rank No. 3 on the College’s all-time victories list, trailing only College Football Hall of Famers Joe Fusco, who posted 154 wins between 1972-90, and Harold Burry, who finished with 127 wins between 1952-71. The pair combined to win five of Westminster’s six National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division III championships (1970, 1976, 1977, 1988, 1989).

Westminster wrapped up its 2025 season with an 8-3 record. It was the sixth season winning eight or more games under Benzel’s watch. Some of his finest work came late in the season with a 24-8 (.750) record in November games, which includes back-to-back wins in the Opendorse Bowl Series’ Extra Points Bowl in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

“The search for our new head football coach is underway, and because of the strong foundation that’s been built over the past 12 years, I am confident we will identify the right leader to honor and carry our rich traditions forward while driving our program to even greater success,” said Lener.

YSU’s Gebhardt gets 2nd HL honor

Senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt (Howland) of the Youngstown State baseball team was named the Under Armour Horizon League Pitcher of the Week for the second time in as many weeks to begin the 2026 season, the league office announced on Monday.

Gebhardt, who earned the first weekly Horizon League honor of his career following opening weekend, did not allow an earned run while limiting Oregon to two hits over seven strong innings on the mound in YSU’s 3-0 loss to the Ducks on Friday evening at PK Park in Eugene, Ore.

Gebhardt delivered his second masterful starting pitching performance in as many outings to begin the 2026 season. A week after he recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts over six innings in a stellar Opening Day effort in a 2-1 loss at Auburn in the season opener, Gebhardt matched the longest outing of his career while blanking Oregon in six different frames on Friday.

Gebhardt, who has allowed no earned runs and just four hits with 16 total strikeouts in 13 innings pitched through two starts, retired the side in order on three different occasions on Friday at Oregon. He did not allow a hit over the first three innings while surpassing 150 career strikeouts in his 58th appearance as a Penguin.

Youngstown State will continue its early season road stretch on Friday when it begins a four-game series at Longwood. First pitch for Friday’s series opener at Buddy Bolding Stadium is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Gregory earns Player of the Week

YOUNGSTOWN — After averaging 21.5 points and 18 rebounds while delivering a performance unmatched nationally in nine years, Sophia Gregory (West Branch) has been named the Under Armour Horizon League Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.

The conference announced its weekly honors on Monday, and Gregory earned the award for the second time this season.

Gregory, a sophomore forward, led the Penguins to two road victories over teams that were tied for third place in the Horizon League standings entering the week. She totaled 43 points and 36 rebounds while shooting 19-for-26 from the field, and she added eight assists, five steals and three blocks. Gregory averaged nine more rebounds per game than any other player in the conference and ranked third in the league last week in scoring and field-goal percentage. Nationally, she tied for third in rebounding average for the week.

In Saturday’s win at Purdue Fort Wayne, Gregory scored 37 points on 16-for-19 shooting and grabbed 19 rebounds. Only two Horizon League players scored more than 37 total points over two games last week. According to HerHoopStats.com, Gregory recorded the first 37-point, 19-rebound game by any Division I player since Columbia’s Camille Zimmerman on Jan. 27, 2017. Gregory scored 14 points in the final 5:28 to help the Penguins secure the victory and clinch the No. 2 seed in the 2026 Barbasol Horizon League Women’s Basketball Championship. She also contributed three assists, three steals and two blocks.

The last YSU player to score at least 37 points was Heidi Schlegel on Feb. 21, 2015, and Lilly Ritz was the most recent Penguin to grab at least 19 rebounds in a game on March 2, 2023.

Gregory began the week with 17 rebounds, which is tied for the second-most rebounds in a game by a Horizon League player this season, in a win at NKU. She added six points, five assists, two steals and a block.

Youngstown State will host Detroit Mercy in its regular-season finale at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday inside Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center.

NBA fines Pippen Jr. and Gardner

NEW YORK — The NBA fined Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner $35,000 each on Monday for their scuffle in a game over the weekend.

With 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 136-120 victory on Saturday night, Gardner bumped Pippen from behind and knocked him down. Pippen then jogged down court to confront Gardner and gave him a hard two-handed shove, resulting in a melee that spilled into the seats with 1:19 remaining. Both received technical fouls and were ejected.

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Curbstone to honor YSU’s Brungard

On Monday at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Canfield, the Curbstone Coaches will honor Beau Brungard, the Youngstown State quarterback and Walter Payton award winner as the top FCS player in the country.

Because of an afternoon class that Beau needs to attend, he will need to leave by 1 p.m. The buffet lines will open at 11:30 a.m. to accommodate Beau’s schedule.

All valley sport fans are encouraged to attend this event and don’t need to be a current or former coach.

Deep Freeze to host Skate-a-Thon

Deep Freeze Skating Club in Boardman is reaching out to the community for assistance.

The local figure skating club is putting on a Skate-a-Thon on Sunday at 6 p.m. to help make the club more affordable. It will be held at Deep Freeze Ice Arena, with the goal of raising $20,000.

The recent financial uncertainty is a result of rising, which can be difficult on small community groups.

Deep Freeze Skating Club has been active in Boardman for nearly three decades, offering youth figure skating development, competitions, Theater on Ice performances and community shows and events.

Skaters can collect pledges per lap or as a one-time donation, with the goal of reaching 80 laps each.

There will be a basket raffle, as well as prizes for participants for achieving fundraising goals, such as most money raised or most donors.

The group has an upcoming performances scheduled for March 5 at the Covelli Centre in downtown Youngstown.

MVFC announces schedule changes

The Missouri Valley Football Conference announced an update to the 2026 schedule on Friday morning.

The conference’s nine teams will each play one another in the new format. The Penguins home and away opponents do not change from the previous version while a September visit to Youngstown by South Dakota replaces a previously scheduled Halloween home matchup against North Dakota State.

YSU will play the Coyotes in the league opener at Stambaugh Stadium on Sept. 26 before playing road games at Southern Illinois (Oct. 3) and at Indiana State (Oct. 10).

The Penguins entertain UNI on Oct. 17, visit South Dakota State on Oct. 24 and have North Dakota at home on Oct. 31.

The month of November features a road trip to Murray State (Nov. 7) and a visit from National Championship finalist Illinois State on Nov. 14.

YSU’s bye week falls on the final weekend of the regular season.

The current non-conference slate includes Mercyhust (Aug. 27), at Kentucky (Sept. 5), vs. Duquesne (Sept. 12) and at Sacramento State (Sept. 19).

Youngstown State has advanced to the FCS playoffs in each of the past two seasons.

Penguins shut out by Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. — Braden Gebhardt (Howland) did not allow an earned run while limiting Oregon to two hits over seven strong innings on the mound as the Youngstown State baseball team fell 3-0 to the Ducks on Friday evening at PK Park.

The Ducks got on the scoreboard first with a single unearned run in the bottom of the fourth before adding a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. The Penguins loaded the bases with three walks in the ninth before Oregon reliever Devin Bell came out of the bullpen to retire back-to-back Penguins and give the Ducks a 2-0 series lead.

Youngstown State drops to 0-5 on the 2026 season while Oregon improves to 6-0.

Gebhardt, a senior left-hander, delivered his second masterful starting pitching performance in as many outings to begin the 2026 season. A week after he recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts over six innings in an impressive Opening Day effort in a 2-1 loss at Auburn in the season opener, Gebhardt matched the longest outing of his career while blanking Oregon in six different frames on Friday.

Gebhardt, who has allowed no earned runs and just four hits with 16 total strikeouts in 13 innings pitched through two starts, retired the side in order on three different occasions on Friday at Oregon. He did not allow a hit over the first three innings while surpassing 150 career strikeouts in his 58th appearance as a Penguin.

Nathan Beckley went 2-for-3 with a walk at the plate as the Penguins bested the Ducks 4-3 in the hit column. Brayden Kuriger and Misael Uriepero added base hits while Uriepero and Garrett Cutting each recorded a stolen base.

Luke Zmolik was responsible for two runs in his lone inning out of the bullpen for YSU.

The Ducks broke a scoreless tie with a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jax Gimenez drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third when Dominic Hellman followed with a double to left center. After Gebhardt retired the next two batters, Gimenez was able to race home on a passed ball to give Oregon a 1-0 edge.

The Ducks pushed their advantage to 3-0 by scoring twice in the home half of the eighth. Owen Morgan led off the inning with an infield single, advanced to third following an errant throw as he swiped second base and scored on a wild pitch. Jack Brooks followed with a walk, stole second base, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Gimenez’s RBI groundout.

Oregon starter Will Sanford earned the win after allowing four hits and striking out six batters over six scoreless innings. Tanner Bradley tossed 2.1 innings of relief before Bell came on to get the final two outs and collect the save.

Game three of the four-game series between Youngstown State and Oregon is scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern/12 p.m. Pacific Time on Saturday. The game will be broadcast live on B1G+.

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Meyer takes over MLB union

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Bruce Meyer was promoted to interim executive director of the baseball players’ association on Wednesday, a day after Tony Clark’s forced resignation.

It was a move for continuity ahead of the likely start in April of what figures to be contentious collective bargaining with team owners.

Matt Nussbaum was promoted to interim deputy executive director from general counsel.

The decisions were made by the Major League Baseball Players Association executive board during an online meeting. Both votes were unanimous.

A 64-year-old veteran labor lawyer, Meyer joined the union staff in 2018 and led negotiations through a 99-day lockout that led to a five-year agreement in March 2022. The deal barely avoided what would have been the first loss of regular-season games since 1995. He was promoted to deputy executive director in July 2022.

Meyer spent 30 years at Weil, Gotshal & Manges before joining the NHL Players Association in 2016 as senior director of collective bargaining, policy and legal.

Three members of the union’s eight-man executive subcommittee, Jack Flaherty, Lucas Giolito and Ian Happ, were among the players who in March 2024 advocated for the ouster of Meyer in an effort led by former union lawyer Harry Marino. Clark backed Meyer, the effort failed and those three players were dropped off the subcommittee that December.

The subcommittee voted 8-0 against approving the 2022 labor contract and Meyer had advocated pushing management for a deal more favorable to the union. Team player representatives, the overall group supervising negotiations, voted 26-4 in favor, leaving the overall ballot at 26-12 for ratification.

The current subcommittee includes Chris Bassitt, Jake Cronenworth, Pete Fairbanks, Cedric Mullins, Marcus Semien, Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Brent Suter.

A former All-Star first baseman who headed the union since 2013, Clark resigned Tuesday just months ahead of the expected start of bargaining for a labor contract to replace the deal that expires Dec. 1.

He was asked to resign by the union’s eight-man executive subcommittee after an investigation by the union’s outside counsel discovered evidence Clark had an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, a union employee since 2023, a person familiar with the union’s deliberations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced.

Meyer, hired by Clark in 2018, headed the 2021-22 negotiations that led to an agreement on March 10 that ended a 99-day lockout. Meyer was promoted to deputy executive director in July 2022.

Nussbaum, 47, succeeded Ian Penny as general counsel in July 2022. He was hired by the union in 2011 as staff counsel.

Green Bay’s Gottlieb suspended

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay coach Doug Gottlieb was suspended one game by the Horizon League on Wednesday for comments he made while criticizing officials after a 75-72 loss to Milwaukee last Sunday.

Gottlieb slammed his hands on the table at one point and used an expletive in his postgame news conference while complaining about what he perceived as inconsistency in the officiating. Video of his news conference garnered attention on social media.

“Gottlieb’s postgame comments do not reflect the League’s values or sportsmanship expectations,” the Horizon League said in a statement announcing the suspension. “The Horizon League considers this matter closed and will have no further comment.”

The suspension will take effect for Friday when Green Bay (15-13, 10-7) visits Oakland (14-13, 10-6).

“I’d like to apologize to the Horizon League and the officials for my disparaging comments following Sunday’s game,” Gottlieb said Wednesday in a statement. “I understand and appreciate how difficult their job is, and respect what they do for the sport of basketball. I will be better moving forward.”

NIU’s Hammock leaves for NFL job

DEKALB, Ill. — Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock has resigned to take a job in the NFL, the school announced Wednesday.

Hammock coached the Huskies for seven seasons and led them to the 2021 Mid-American Conference championship and the program’s first win over a top-10 opponent when they beat Notre Dame in 2024.

Defensive coordinator Rob Harley, who has been on staff for one year, was named interim head coach.

Northern Illinois’ announcement did not specify Hammock’s job in the NFL. ESPN reported Hammock would join the Seahawks as running backs coach and senior offensive assistant.

Hammock was 35-47 at Northern Illinois, with his 2021 team going 9-5 with a win over Kent State in the MAC title game. The Huskies won back-to-back bowls in 2023 and ’24.

Northern Illinois will become a football-only member of the Mountain West Conference this fall.

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YSU’s Gebhardt gets HL honor

Senior left-hander Braden Gebhardt (Howland) of the Youngstown State baseball team was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week following the opening weekend of the 2026 season.

Gebhardt recorded the most strikeouts in a game by a Penguin in nearly five years as part of a masterful Opening Day pitching performance in YSU’s 2-1 loss to the No. 5 Auburn Tigers in the 2026 season opener on Friday evening at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala.

Gebhardt, who collects the first weekly HL award of his career, was responsible for one unearned run on two hits while setting a new career high with 11 strikeouts over six innings on the mound. He posted the most strikeouts in a game by a Penguin since Collin Floyd fanned 12 batters against Milwaukee on April 9, 2021. Gebhardt recorded multiple punchouts in four different frames while fanning seven straight batters between the third and fifth innings.

Youngstown State will continue its early season road stretch on Thursday when it begins a four-game series at Oregon. First pitch for Thursday’s series opener at PK Park is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on B1G+.

RedHawks extend win streak to 26

AMHERST, Mass. — No. 22 Miami of Ohio won its 26th straight game to remain the last unbeaten team in Division 1, defeating UMass 86-77 on Tuesday night thanks to 23 points from Peter Suder.

Luke Skaljac had 16 points and seven assists for Miami (26-0, 13-0 Mid-American Conference). Leonardo Bettiol scored 18 points with nine rebounds, Isaiah Placide scored 19 and Danny Carbuccia had 15 for UMass (15-12, 6-8).

Miami led by eight points with 14 minutes left before UMass scored seven straight to make it a one-point game and then added a 5-0 run to take a 62-60 lead. It was tied for the final time at 68-68 when Placide banked in a 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer, leaving defender Eian Elmer shrugging in disbelief.

But Elmer answered with a 3 for Miami, then Suder hit a layup after a UMass turnover to give the RedHawks a five-point lead.

UMass never got any closer than three points after that.

Up next

Miami will go for 27-0 when it hosts Bowling Green on Friday night.

Judge concerned over Moore case

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A judge on Tuesday granted a request for a hearing to learn more about an investigation that led to charges against former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, who was arrested soon after he was fired for a relationship with his executive assistant.

It’s a victory for Moore and lawyer Ellen Michaels who is defending him against charges of felony home invasion, stalking and illegal entry. They ultimately want the case dismissed.

Moore, 40, is accused of entering the woman’s apartment without permission and threatening to kill himself in front of her on Dec. 10. Authorities quoted him as saying she was to blame for him losing one of the top college football jobs in the country. She had spoken to university officials.

Judge J. Cedric Simpson expressed concern that a police detective didn’t disclose Moore’s employer-employee relationship with the woman — a “glaring omission” — when a magistrate authorized a warrant for his arrest.

“Defendant’s due process may have been violated,” Simpson said.

“This was not solely this personal relationship. The magistrate should have been able to look at that,” said the judge, who set a March 2 hearing to hear from police and other witnesses.

The woman ended the personal relationship a few days before Moore’s firing and did not answer a dozen calls or respond to some text messages from him before his dismissal, police said.

Michaels said a coach calling and texting an executive assistant that many times was reasonable while Moore was preparing his team for a bowl game.

“It’s not stalking if the communication has a legitimate purpose,” Michaels said.

Before Simpson set the hearing, Washtenaw County assistant prosecutor Kati Rezmierski said it wasn’t necessary and would be outside the judge’s discretion.

Moore coached the Wolverines for two seasons as the successor to Jim Harbaugh, who won a national championship before quitting to become coach of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers. Kyle Whittingham, who coached Utah for two decades, is Michigan’s new coach.

Michaels accused the woman’s personal lawyer of giving information to police to “villainize Mr. Moore and maximize the chances of obtaining a large settlement from the deep pockets of the University of Michigan.”

Twins’ López suffers elbow injury

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Minnesota Twins suffered a major setback during their first full-squad workout, an elbow injury that likely will sideline ace Pablo López for the entire season.

General manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters at the club’s spring training facility on Tuesday that López has a “significant tear” in his right ulnar collateral ligament. He was seeking a second medical opinion but expected to need Tommy John surgery, Zoll said. López ended his bullpen session early on Monday after experiencing soreness in his throwing elbow.

The team’s opening day starter in each of the last three years, López was grappling with a double disappointment with the probable loss of not only the upcoming major league season but the World Baseball Classic next month, when he was scheduled to pitch for Venezuela.

López was limited to 75 2/3 innings last year because of injuries.

López, who turns 30 on March 7, is making $21.75 million this season. He is signed through next year.

López missed about three months last season with a shoulder injury. As the Twins were slashing payroll, he was mentioned often as a prime trade candidate, but the front office opted to keep him and right-hander Joe Ryan at the front of what was expected to be a strong rotation.

Now the Twins are missing their most important piece, with Ryan, an All-Star in 2025, now the ace and right-hander Bailey Ober under pressure to bounce back and be a reliable No. 2 starter.

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Bill Johnson to speak at Curbstone

Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson 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 11:45 a.m., and the public is welcome to attend.

All sports fans are welcome and you do not need to be a current or former coach.

YSU softball drops doubleheader

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The Youngstown State softball team dropped a pair of contests on Friday at the Wings, Etc. Classic, at the Cyrill Softball Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.

In the opener, YSU lost a 9-1 decision to West Georgia before losing the nightcap, 9-7, to the host Spartans.

Upstate jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on sacrifice fly, but the Penguins knotted the game at 1-1 in the top of the second. Ayla Ray (Austintown Fitch) laced a double down the left-field line, and Bella Meyer (Champion) brought her home with a run-scoring single of the middle.

The Spartans regained a 4-1 lead after a two-run home run by Mackenzie Bernal and a two-out run-scoring single by Taliyah Thomas in the bottom half of the frame.

Littler led off the top of the third with a single and advance to third on Wilkerson’s double down the right-field line. Emma Gilkerson’s sacrifice fly to right field plated Littler and cut the Spartans lead in half, 4-2. Tai Turner extended the inning with a 10-pitch walk and Kennedy delivered a run-scoring single up the middle to score pinch-runner Tatum Werley to make it a one-run game, 4-3, through two-and-half innings.

Upstate scored four times in the fourth inning, but in the fifth, the Guins put together a rally thanks to the long ball.

Gilkerson led off the inning with a home run to left center and following a Turner singles, Kennedy Dean launched a two-run shot to make it a 9-6 contest. After a pitching change, Ayla Ray belted a solo shot to cut the deficit to two.

The Guins banged out 13 hits, but left 10 runners on base while Upstate just stranded a pair.

In the opener, the Penguins were limited to just four hits against the Wolves.

Tai Turner, Macy Littler, Dean, and Lydia Wilkerson each collected base hits, and Turner drove in Littler with the Penguins’ lone run in the bottom of the fourth.

West Georgia scored six runs in the top of the second to take a commanding 6-0 lead and added two in the top of the fourth and another in the fifth to invoke the eight-run mercy rule.

Youngstown State will face West Georgia and USC Upstate, today, at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.

Chris Paul announces retirement

Chris Paul, the “Point God” who was a 12-time All-Star selection and two-time Olympic gold medalist, announced his retirement on Friday in the capper of a 21-season career that will surely merit induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Paul made the announcement on the first day of the NBA’s All-Star weekend at the home of the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, California. Paul spent his final season — an abbreviated one — with the Clippers, who sent him home in December and wound up trading him to Toronto earlier this month.

The Raptors knew Paul would never play in Toronto, and that begged the question about whether the Wake Forest legend would try to finish the season with another team in pursuit of the thing he never got — an NBA title.

The answer came Friday. He’s done. He said last summer that he has hated missing events with his children over the last few years, and now he can devote himself much more to his family and other interests.

“It’s time for me to show up for others and in other ways,” Paul wrote on a social media post, announcing the decision.

He strongly hinted earlier this season that this year was going to be his last. Paul was a four-time All-NBA first team selection, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists and 2,728 steals. He was the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists; LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have both since done that as well.

Paul played for New Orleans, Houston, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio and the Clippers during his career, spending the last four years with four different teams.

Paul is 15th all-time in regular-season games played and 36th in points, was a six-time steals champion, five-time assists champion, a nine-time All-Defensive team pick, 11-time All-NBA selection and was part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.

Flores’ case can head to open court

NEW YORK — The Brian Flores-led discrimination lawsuit against the NFL can proceed to open court and avoid the league’s arbitration process, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Flores, who is joined in the lawsuit by Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, sued the league and three teams in February 2022 after he was fired the previous month by the Miami Dolphins. Now the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, Flores alleged in his original suit that the league was “rife with racism” regarding its hiring practices when it comes to Black coaches.

The NFL argued Flores should go through the league’s arbitration process rather than the legal system, but Judge Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York sided with the plaintiffs.

The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A pretrial hearing has been set for April 3.

Flores was fired after going 24-25 record over three years without a playoff appearances. The Dolphins did have back-to-back winning seasons before Flores was dismissed.

He sued the NFL as well as the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Houston Texans. Flores interviewed with the Broncos in 2019 and the Giants and Texans in 2022.

Wilks, who was fired in December as the New York Jets defensive coordinator, joined the lawsuit by claiming the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 hired him as a “bridge coach” and didn’t provide him with a realistic chance to succeed.

Horton, who last coached in the NFL in 2019, alleged the Tennessee Titans didn’t offer him a genuine interview for the head coaching position in 2016.

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YSU bowling ranked 8th in poll

YOUNGSTOWN — As the spring portion of the NCAA Women’s Bowling season is in full swing, Youngstown State is ranked eighth in February’s National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 poll.

February’s poll of 44 coaches was released on Tuesday, and the Penguins dropped one position compared with the December rankings. Youngstown State received 1,192 points in the poll, which was comfortably ahead of ninth-place Wright State’s total of 1,054. YSU has now been ranked in the top 10 in 24 consecutive polls dating back to the final release of the 2020-21 season.

The top six and nine of the top 10 teams in the poll are all from Conference USA, and the top six teams remained the same from December. Maryville, the exception to Conference USA’s exclusivity, moved up three spots from 10th to seventh with 1,274 points, and YSU is followed by Wright State and Sacred Heart. The additional three teams in YSU’s conference are all ranked in the top 19 as Sam Houston is 14th, Tulane is 17th, and Valparaiso is 19th.

In the updated NTCA Power Index Ranking, which closely follows the NCAA’s RPI, the Penguins are ranked seventh following last week’s Flyer Classic. Youngstown State was ninth in the NCAA’s initial release of its RPI on Jan. 18, and a 10-3 record at its most recent event allowed the Penguins to jump two spots.

Youngstown State has three more tournaments remaining on its schedule before the Conference USA Championship. The Penguins are idle this week, and their next competition will be the Big Red Invitational on Feb. 20-22.

Verlander returns to the Tigers

LAKELAND, Fla. — For his 21st season in the majors, Justin Verlander is going back to the very beginning of his career.

All the way back to Motown.

Verlander returned to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, agreeing to a $13 million, one-year contract with his first big league team. The three-time AL Cy Young Award winner joins an improved rotation fronted by Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, who also signed with Detroit in free agency.

Verlander, who turns 43 on Feb. 20, went 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA while spending his first 13 seasons in Detroit. He won his first Cy Young Award and was AL MVP when he had a 24-5 record and a 2.40 ERA in 2011.

Verlander was traded to Houston in August 2017 and helped the Astros win the World Series that same year and again in 2022. Now he gets an opportunity to chase a third championship with the Tigers, who are looking for the franchise’s first title since 1984.

Verlander’s deal with Detroit includes $11 million in deferred payments starting in 2030. The Tigers’ pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first spring training workout on Wednesday.

The right-hander is 266-158 with a 3.32 ERA in 555 starts, also playing for the New York Mets and San Francisco. He is tied with Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 34th in victories on baseball’s career list, while his 3,553 career strikeouts are eighth and closely trailing Don Sutton’s 3,574.

Verlander is coming off a frustrating year with the Giants, going 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts. But his 2.60 ERA from July 23 through the remainder of the season ranked fourth in the National League with a minimum of 60 innings pitched.

Indiana to build statue of Knight

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana plans to build a bronze statue of longtime coach Bob Knight inside Assembly Hall, where he led the Hoosiers to national championships in 1976, 1981 and 1987.

The announcement came Monday night while the Hoosiers were playing Oregon in a Big Ten game — and on the same night the school celebrated the 1975-76 team that remains the last undefeated national champ in Division I men’s basketball.

School officials say Knight’s statue will be placed next to one honoring the 1975-76 title team and will be funded by a longtime basketball donor who wants to remain anonymous.

“Coach Knight’s influence on the game of basketball is immeasurable, but his impact on this university and Hoosier basketball fans is even deeper,” athletic director Scott Dolson said in a statement. “On a personal level, having started my career here as a student manager under coach Knight, I saw firsthand the unparalleled standard of excellence he demanded. He taught me, and countless others, that success is the result of meticulous preparation and unwavering discipline. This statue will be a well-deserved tribute to a man who didn’t just win games; he changed how the sport is played.”

Knight won a school-record 662 games and 11 Big Ten titles during his tenure from 1971-2000. He was fired in September 2000 following an incident with a student in a hallway and later landed at Texas Tech, where he finished his career as Division I’s winningest coach, with 902 wins.

He also was known for his fiery temper — and once throwing a chair during a home game against rival Purdue.

Knight died in October 2023 and still ranks sixth among all coaches in victories. He also won a gold medal as the coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and is a member of the Naismith Hall of Fame, the National College Basketball Hall of Fame and Indiana’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

Super Bowl averages 124.9M viewers

Sunday night’s Super Bowl and Bad Bunny fell short of setting records for most watched U.S. broadcast and halftime show.

Seattle’s 29-13 victory over New England averaged 124.9 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL+, according to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel rating system.

That fell short of the 127.7 million U.S. viewers that tuned in for Philadelphia’s 40-22 victory over Kansas City last year on Fox.

Bad Bunny’s halftime show averaged 128.2 million viewers from 8:15-8:30 p.m. Eastern. That would make it the fourth-most watched halftime behind Kendrick Lamar (133.5 million, 2025), Michael Jackson (133.4 million, 1993) and Usher (129.3 million, 2024).

Full global viewership for the halftime show is expected to be available early next week.

Capsules

Innocent to speak at Curbstone

Youngstown State Travel Specialist Tracey Innocent 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.

All sports fans are welcome and you do not need to be a current or former coach.

Curbstone HOF tickets available

Plans are underway for the annual Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, which is set for May 3 at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman. The keynote speaker will be former Pittsburgh Steelers stand out wide receiver Louis Lipps.

Tickets are available by contacting Patty Schuley at 3302078157.

The cost of each ticket is $60 and $480 for a table of eight.

For any questions about the banquet or Curbstone Coaches, call 3305066774.

Hisatsune leads at Phoenix Open

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ryo Hisatsune turned a water ball into a birdie to electrify the juiced up crowds at the Phoenix Open.

Scottie Scheffler did what he needed to make yet another cut by turning in the kind of round expected by the world’s No. 1 player.

Hisatsune chipped in for birdie after driving his ball in the water on the par-4 17th hole and shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 on Friday to surge into the lead in the second round of Phoenix Open.

Scheffler enjoyed his round a bit more than he did while opening with a 73 that put him danger of missing a cut for the first time since the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Classic.

After working on his grip, Scheffler shot 2-under 33 on the front nine to move close to the cut line and left no doubt with four birdies on the back to extend his streak to 66 cuts made, longest active on the PGA Tour. His 3-foot birdie on No. 18 capped a bogey-free 65 that got him to 4 under, seven shots back.

And don’t think the seven-shot difference is insurmountable.

Scheffler has won twice when trailing by more than shots, including the 2022 Phoenix Open, where he made up nine shots for his first PGA Tour victory.

Two-time Phoenix Open champion Brooks Koepka had a much tougher go of it, finishing at 2 over to miss the cut in his second tournament since being reinstated by the PGA Tour. He followed an opening 75 with a 69.

Two Japanese players made the most noise on another warm day at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course.

Two-time Phoenix Open champion Hideki Matsuyama had a run of six straight birdies to shoot 64 in the morning wave to take the lead at 10 under.

He was surpassed by his countryman in the afternoon.

Hisatsune was at 5 under after two birdies on the front nine, then electrified the rowdy crowds by going 6 under in a five-hole stretch — highlighted by his chip-in at 17 — to reach 11-under 131.

Overnight leader Chris Gotterup shot 71 to join Pierceson Coody (68) at 8 under.

Hisatsune tied for second at Torrey Pines last week after missing the cut in the season-opening Sony Open. He had four top-10s as a PGA Tour rookie last year.

The 23-year-old kicked off his closing flourish with birdies on 13 and 14, then dropped in an 8-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th. Hisatsune sent roars through the stadium par-3 16th by sinking a 7-foot birdie putt and smiled sheepishly at his chip in on 17 after hitting his tee shot left into the pond.

Now he’ll be paired with Matsuyama on Saturday in the third round.

Matsuyama opened with a bogey-free 68 and began his second round with three straight pars.

Then he started hitting it close.

Matsuyama birdied the par-5 13th despite hitting his drive left into the desert and hit his approach to 3 feet on the 498-yard par-4 14th for another birdie. He added another a 3-footer and revved up the already-juiced crowd with a 29-foot birdie putt on 16.

Matsuyama had a two-putt birdie on the reachable par-4 17th and capped a 6-under 30 on the back nine with a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 18. He hit it inside 10 feet for two more birdies on Nos. 4-5, but bogeyed the par-4 ninth after pulling his tee shot into the thick left rough.

Matsuyama will have a comfortable pairing in the third round with Hisatsune.

That could change if Scheffler makes another run.

McGwire returns to A’s as assistant

Former slugger Mark McGwire is back with his first organization, rejoining the Athletics as a special assistant to player development.

He played at least parts of 12 seasons for the then-Oakland Athletics and was a nine-time All-Star. McGwire was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1987 after hitting 49 home runs, at that time the record for a first-year player. He also was an instrumental part of A’s teams that went to the World Series from 1988-90, winning it all in 1989 by sweeping the Bay Area rival San Francisco Giants.

The A’s inducted McGwire into their hall of fame in 2019.

McGwire was traded to St. Louis in the 1997 season, and he went on to break Roger Maris’ single-season home run record by belting 70 in 1998 during a chase with the Chicago Cubs’ Sammy Sosa. Their competition reignited interest in baseball, but both became tied to the sport’s steroid scandal that tarnished their reputations and has kept them out of the Hall of Fame.

After his playing days, McGwire went to serve as bench coach for San Diego (2017-18) and as a hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2013-15) and Cardinals (2010-12).

The A’s are about to play the second of at least three seasons at a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento, California. They are scheduled to move to Las Vegas and play in a $2 billion 33,000-person capacity stadium beginning in 2028.

Capsules

Ohio State men fall to Wisconsin

MADISON. Wis. — Wisconsin’s high-scoring backcourt of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell combined for 43 points, Austin Rapp hit five first-half 3-pointers, and Wisconsin beat Ohio State 92-82 on Saturday.

Blackwell and Boyd, who have combined for over 38 points per game, finished with 22 and 21, respectively, the sixth time they have both been over 20 points. The 6-foot-10 Rapp, the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year at Portland last season, scored all 19 of his points off the bench in the first half. Nolan Winter finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. Aleksas Bieliauskas added 10 points for Wisconsin (16-6, 7-3 Big Ten).

Ohio State’s own dynamic duo, Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr., averaging over 35 ppg, finished with 18 and nine, respectively. Amare Bynum scored 18 points for the Buckeyes (14-7, 6-5), while Devin Royal added 17 and Taison Chatman 14.

Wisconsin made only two of its first 11 attempts while falling behind 15-4, but Rapp hit three consecutive 3s in bringing back the Badgers to their first lead, 24-23, with eight minutes in the first half. Rapp added two more 3s, and a late run put Wisconsin up 49-43 at the break.

The Buckeyes led throughout the second half with Boyd and Blackwell scoring 11 points apiece. Boyd’s bucket with 2:41 to go gave Wisconsin its largest lead at 16.

Wisconsin shot 52%, made 19 of 21 at the line and outscored Ohio State 42-30 in the paint.

Up next

Ohio State is at Maryland on Thursday.

Wisconsin is at Indiana Saturday.

Buckeyes officially name Smith OC

COLUMBUS — Ohio State hired Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator Saturday, the second straight year coach Ryan Day has turned to a coordinator with extensive NFL experience.

Smith was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator the past two seasons after being the Atlanta Falcons head coach from 2021 through ’23.

“He will bring immediate value to our program and was exactly what we were looking for as we set out to find our next offensive coordinator,” Day said in a statement. “His track record in the NFL, experience as coordinator, player caller and a head coach checked every box during the search. He’ll do a great job in helping our players reach their potential on the field while also connecting with them as people.”

Smith replaces Brian Hartline, who was hired as South Florida’s head coach after eight seasons in Columbus.

The 43-year old Smith has not been on a college staff since he was a defensive intern at Ole Miss in 2010.

Smith also interviewed for the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans head coach openings as well as the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator position. He was on the Titans staff from 2011 through ’20. rising from a quality control coach to offensive coordinator his last two years. He began his NFL coaching career as a quality control coach in Washington in 2007.

He is the only offensive coordinator/head coach in the NFL to have seven different running backs with at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage in that past seven years — Derrick Henry at Tennessee, Cordarrelle Patterson, Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson at Atlanta, and Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell with the Steelers.

Smith has also coached quarterbacks Ryan Tannehill, Matt Ryan, Marcus Mariotta, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers.

Day is hoping Smith’s hire goes as well as his selection of Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator last year. The Buckeyes had the nation’s top-ranked defense and allowed only 8.2 points per game.

Ohio State was 18th in the nation in scoring offense and 24th in total offense in 2025. Heisman finalist Julian Sayin will be returning at quarterback as dynamic wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, an AP All-America selection the past two years.

Cardinals hire Rams’ LaFleur as HC

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals hired Mike LaFleur as head coach on Sunday, turning to a division rival’s offensive coordinator to try to pull the franchise out of the bottom of the NFC West.

The Cardinals’ announcement of the five-year deal brought an end to the nearly four-week hiring process.

The 38-year-old Los Angeles Rams assistant replaces Jonathan Gannon, who was fired on Jan. 5 after a 15-36 record over three seasons, including 3-14 this past season.

LaFleur — who is the younger brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur — has been the Rams’ offensive coordinator for the past three seasons.

“I couldn’t be more fired up to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and am beyond grateful to (owner) Michael (Bidwill) and (general manager) Monti (Ossenfort) for this opportunity,” LaFleur said in a statement.

“Having competed against them in the NFC so many times in recent years, I know the type of talent and toughness the team has and cannot wait to get to Arizona to hit the ground running.”

Los Angeles had the NFL’s top offense in 2025, averaging nearly 400 total yards and more than 30 points per game. The Rams fell one game short of the Super Bowl, losing to the Seattle Seahawks 31-27 in the NFC championship game.

LaFleur inherits some intriguing players on Arizona’s roster, including All-Pro tight end Trey McBride, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and veteran edge rusher Josh Sweat.

Arizona also has the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft.

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