YSU

YSU
Track and field
KENT -- Junior Emily Schnitkey won the 5,000-meter run in her first meet in over 10 months at the Black Squirrel Classic.
Schnitkey, who was a redshirt during the 2003 outdoor season and was hampered by a leg injury in cross country, finished in 18 minutes, 25.40 seconds.
Jeanna Cunningham led the sprint group by picking up two top-10 finishes. In the 60-meter dash she turned in a fourth-place time of 7.91 and was 10th in the 200.
Leslie Johnson finished fifth in the 500 (1:20.20), Danielle Bolt was 10th in the 60 and Kristina Tomlan was eighth in the 300 hurdles (49.55).
Lindsay Wojciak finished second in the 5,000 (19:15) and Debbie Breunig finished fifth. Lisa Davies was sixth (10:32.94) in the 3,000.
Nikki Hooper finished fourth in the triple jump (35 feet, 1/2 inch) and seventh in the long jump. Alex Casi was fifth in the long jump (17-31/4) and Katy Williams was 11th in the weight throw (45-31/2).
For the men, Nick Kruse was second in the mile (4:21.81) and Chris Hine was eighth (4:31.08). Papis Joh (1:05.18) and Scott Weiser (1:07.5) finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 500, and Nick Buzek was ninth in the 3000 (8:52.19).
Jarrod Davis was 12th in the weight throw (49-91/4).
LOCAL
Abby Markovich helpsSt. John Fisher
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- The St. John Fisher College women's basketball team posted a 74-48 win over Hartwick College in their Empire 8 Conference opener recently.
Freshman transfer Abby Markovich, a Salem High graduate, scored four points for St. John Fisher (7-0).
Riccio signswith Delaware
ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. -- Sonny Riccio, former Ellwood City High standout quarterback and backup to Brad Smith at Missouri, will transfer to the University of Delaware.
Riccio (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) also considered Youngstown State.
Officials to discuss Clarett settlement
COLUMBUS -- Maurice Clarett's lawyer will meet with a prosecutor Wednesday to try to resolve the suspended Ohio State tailback's misdemeanor case.
Clarett is accused of filing a campus police report that exaggerated the value of items stolen from a dealership car he borrowed in April.
He has pleaded innocent to the falsification charge, which carries a penalty ranging from probation to six months in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.
City attorney spokesman Scott Varner on Monday would not elaborate on any possible deal.
Lawyer Percy Squire said, if prosecutors offer a deal, he will recommend that Clarett accept a reduced charge and plead guilty to a minor misdemeanor, which does not appear on a criminal record, requires no jail time and has a maximum penalty of $100.
A judge scheduled a hearing for Wednesday to decide whether statements Clarett made to NCAA investigators should be admissible.
Clarett was suspended for accepting improper benefits from a family friend and for lying about it to investigators. In a separate case, Clarett is suing the NFL for early entry into the draft.
NATION
BCS leaders still working on format
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Leaders of the Bowl Championship Series are looking at several proposals to change the way its national champion is decided, but a new format is far from complete.
"It is still really premature. We haven't zeroed in on one format," Mike Slive, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, said Monday while attending the NCAA Convention.
Among the suggestions are to play one game after the other bowls, which would have matched LSU against USC.
The American Football Coaches Association, which represents the 117 coaches of Division I-A teams, rejected the extra game idea at its meeting last week. The Pac-10 also is against the plan.
Rangers sign Rogers
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Kenny Rogers agreed to a $6 million, two-year contract to return to the Texas Rangers, who also bolstered their bullpen by signing setup man Jeff Nelson.
The deal for Rogers is contingent of him passing a physical. The 39-year-old left-hander would get $2.5 million this season and $3.5 million in 2005 for his third stint with the team. Nelson signed a $1.5 million, one-year deal after passing his physical.
Coles added to Pro Bowl
WASHINGTON -- Washington Redskins wide receiver Laveranues Coles was added to the NFC Pro Bowl squad, replacing injured Randy Moss.
NHL suspensions
NEW YORK -- NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell handed out two-game suspensions to New York Rangers forward Chris Simon and Detroit defenseman Mathieu Schneider, and a one-game ban to Tampa Bay forward Vincent Lecavalier.
Simon was punished for cross-checking Tampa Bay's Ruslan Fedotenko and then jumping on him and punching him during Sunday's game against the Rangers.
In the same game, Lecavalier kicked New York defenseman Darius Kasparaitis in the third period.
Marion Jones to run
NEW YORK -- Marion Jones will return to the track next month at the Millrose Games, her first event since taking a year off to have a baby.
Jones, who won five medals in her Olympic debut in Sydney in 2000, is set to run the 60 meters at the event held in Madison Square Garden Feb. 6, race officials said.
Vindicator staff/wire reports