In Brief: Valley digest news

AREA

Ackerman named
player of week

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. — Emilee Ackerman of Westminster College was named women’s basketball player of the week by the Presidents’ Athletic Conf.

Ackerman, a 5-foot-8 senior, averaged 28.5 points and 10.5 rebounds as the Titans split a pair of games, losing to Bethany and defeating Geneva. Ackerman is ranked third in NCAA Division III in scoring with an average of 23 points per game. She is ranked 10th in all college basketball.

Academic honor
for McGowan

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Rachel McGowan, a sophomore for the Duquesne University women’s tennis team from Canfield High, has been named to the Duquesne University Director of Athletics Honor Roll for her third straight semester.

The award is given to student-athletes with a 3.0 grade point average or better. McGowan is a political science major and is planning to attend law school after graduation. She also was selected to the Atlantic 10 Commissioners Honor Roll her first semester.

That award is given to student-athletes with a 3.5 grade point average or better.

McGowan’s tennis record so far this year is 8-6 in singles and 6-4 in doubles.

Last year as a freshman, she led Duquesne with 42 overall wins, finishing 20-9 in singles and 22-6 at doubles. She went 15-6 at No. 4 singles and 16-2 at No. 2 doubles in the 2007 spring season.

Also, last year, she won the Flight 3 doubles at the Carnegie Mellon Tennis Invite, and posted a 6-2 record at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Championship.

Indoor track
athletes qualify

BOARDMAN — During meets last weekend, two Boardman High juniors hit qualifying marks for the Nike indoor track & field championships in Landover, Md., March 16.

Corey Linsley recorded a distance of 55 feet, 1 inch, to win the shot put at the Rubber City Open, held at the University of Akron. Caleb Matthews cleared 6-6 to win the high jump at Kent State University’s High School Open on Sunday.

Their appearances at this year’s Nike indoor championships will mark the 11th time Boardman track athletes have qualified to compete on a national scale since 2001.

Both athletes are projected to compete for BHS at the Ohio indoor state championships in March.

Farina named 1st team

PRINCETON, W. Va. — Renee Farina of Boardman was named first team All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball team.

Farina, who played at Salem High, is a 5-9 senior. She averaged 12.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, and made 88 3-point goals this season for West Liberty State University. Farina was named honorable mention All-WVIAC last season.

Schedules needed

The Vindicator requests varsity spring sports schedules from high school athletic directors. They can be e-mailed to sports@vindy.com, faxed to (330) 747-6712, or mailed to Sports Editor, The Vindicator, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501-0780.

McGlynn hired at
Jackson-Milton

NORTH JACKSON — Tim McGlynn has been hired as the new football coach at Jackson-Milton High School.

McGlynn is a 2001 graduate of Fitch High where lettered three years in football and was a team captain.

A YSU student, McGlynn currently is the JV wrestling coach at Jackson-Milton.

Also hired as the J-M head varsity assistant football coach is veteran Jack Pierson who has 50 years experience. Pierson has a coaching record of 207-144-11.

Hall of Fame to meet

WARREN — The Trumbull County Sports Hall of Fame will meet at the Buena Vista Cafe in Warren Thursday at 6:30 p.m. For details call (330) 637-6910.

Rathburn sets personal bests

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Coastal Carolina Univ. freshman Alex Rathburn (Western Reserve) placed third in the invitational portion of the women’s shot put at the UNC Relays with a toss of 43 feet, 5 inches, setting a personal record. She then took fourth place finish in the weight throw with a mark of 49-1, another career best.

NATION

Bush skips deposition

SAN DIEGO — Reggie Bush failed to show up for a scheduled deposition on Monday, the latest twist in the civil lawsuit against the former Heisman Trophy winner who allegedly accepted cash and gifts from sports marketers during his sophomore and junior seasons at Southern California.

“He literally ran from his deposition,” said Brian Watkins, the attorney for sports marketer Lloyd Lake, who is suing Bush.

Watkins said he received a fax from one of Bush’s attorneys saying the New Orleans Saints’ running back wouldn’t be coming.

Bush’s attorney, David Cornwell, declined to comment.

“I have nothing to provide for you,” Cornwell said when reached on his cell phone.

Vindicator staff/wire reports