YSU

YSU
Volleyball
YOUNGSTOWN -- YSU dropped a four-game decision to West Virginia (14-8), 30-22, 26-30, 28-30, 26-30, on Tuesday evening at the Beeghly Center.
Junior Tracy Obonna led the Penguins (7-13) with 13 kills and four blocks while seniors Abby Ettenhofer and Katie Shea each added 11 kills. Senior Angie Pasquinelli posted a double-double with 47 assists and 13 digs while junior Janelle McDonald tallied a career-high 24 digs.
LOCAL
Girard's Martinito sing anthem
CLEVELAND -- Gina Martini, a 10-year-old from Girard, will sing the national anthem at the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Phoenix Suns at 1 p.m. on Jan. 29 at Q Arena.
This will be Martini's second time singing the national anthem at a Cavs' game.
Thompson honored
EAST PALESTINE -- East Palestine's Joe Thompson was selected as the Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Week after breaking the school record for receiving yards in a game with 216 in last Friday's 27-20 win over Leetonia.
The program is designed to recognize high school football players who show outstanding athletic performance, strong leadership and the will to win in the Red Zone.
Salem soccer
SALEM -- Salem's Justice Pash, Brandon Benson and Drew Matak were named all-Columbiana County in boys soccer. Kent Paulini was honorable mention. Pash was also a second-team all-district selection, while Benson made first-team all-Metro Athletic Conference. Matak and Craig McElroy earned second team all-league honors and Jordan Nannah was honorable mention. The Quakers (1-12-2) also received this year's Sportsmanship Award.
NATION
Marlins hire Girardi
MIAMI -- The crowds will be smaller, the budget tighter, the odds of winning longer. Still, the chance to manage lured Joe Girardi from the New York Yankees to the Florida Marlins.
The Yankees' bench coach accepted a three-year contract Wednesday to take over the Marlins.
It's the first managerial job for Girardi, who also interviewed for the Tampa Bay vacancy. He spent 15 years as a major league catcher, then went into broadcasting in 2004 and came out of the booth to join the Yankees' staff this season.
USC-Notre Dametops ratings
NEW YORK -- Southern California's last-second win over Notre Dame was seen by 30 million viewers, making it the most watched regular-season college football game in nine years.
NBC's coverage of the top-ranked Trojans' 34-31 victory on Saturday earned a 6.7 national rating, which tied it with the Ohio State-Notre Dame in 1996 for the highest-rated Fighting Irish game on the network in more than a decade. The games are tied for the fourth-highest rating in the 15 years NBC has been broadcasting Notre Dame football.
Jordan admits being'stupid' with gambling
NEW YORK (AP) -- Michael Jordan admits being "stupid" in his gambling, but never jeopardized his livelihood or his family, he told CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.
Jordan, who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s, said his gambling is related to his fierce competitiveness. But he realized when he stepped over the line.
"Yeah, I've gotten myself into [gambling] situations where I would not walk away and I've pushed the envelope," Jordan said in the interview.
"It's very embarrassing ... one of the things you totally regret. So you look at yourself in the mirror and say, 'I was stupid.'
Jordan also discusses his love of basketball, his father's murder and his pursuit of privacy. He also addressed critics who expected him to be more political and outspoken.
"It's heavy duty to try to do everything and please everybody," he said. "My job was to go out there and play the game of basketball as best I can."
Jordan has a new book titled "Driven from Within."
Collier rememberedas more than a player
ATLANTA -- Jason Collier's family asked that his funeral service be a celebration of his life, but grieving Atlanta Hawks teammates, as well as former high school and college teammates and coaches, were still struggling Wednesday with the death of the 28-year-old center.
"Jason's untimely death has stunned us," former Georgia Tech coach Bob Cremins said.
Collier, a former Ohio prep standout who began his college career at Indiana before transferring to Georgia Tech, played with Houston and Atlanta in a five-year NBA career that ended when he died early Saturday after he had trouble breathing at his home.
Vindicator staff/wire reports