Area news digest: YSU staff changes announced

ysu

Staff changes announced

YOUNGSTOWN — YSU Athletic Director Ron Strollo announced that Associate Athletic Trainer John Doneyko and graduate assistant sports information director John Vogel have received promotions within the department while Matt Morrone and Emily Haynam are new additions to the staff.

Doneyko, a 22-year veteran of the YSU Athletic Training staff, has been elevated to the Head Athletic Trainer position. He takes over for long-time trainer Dan Wathen who retired at the end of February. Doneyko, has been the men’s basketball trainer for the majority of his tenure at YSU.

Vogel, who worked as a undergraduate and graduate assistant in the sports information office the past five years, has been elevated to full-time status as an Assistant Sports Information Director. He is a native of Mineral Ridge.

Morrone, who has served as the Assistant Director for Facility and Business Operations for YSU’s Campus Recreation and Student Programming since 2004, joins the department as the Athletics Business Manager. Morrone earned his degree in accounting from YSU.

Haynam who has spent the past two years as the Assistant Director of Athletics, Compliance Officer and Senior Woman Administrator at Saint Peter’s College joins the YSU staff as an Assistant Athletic Director. A graduate of Ohio State, Haynam has also worked as an Administrative Fellow for Compliance at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Baseball rained out

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State’s baseball team’s home opener against Findlay today has been postponed due to rain in the forecast and unplayable field conditions. No make-up date has been set.

The Penguins are scheduled to play at Duquesne Wednesday at 3 p.m. YSU’s next home game is March 25 against Indiana (Pa.) at Cene Park.

area

Geneva sweeps pair

BEAVER FALLS, PA. — The Geneva College baseball team (7-3) ran its win streak to seven games with a 17-3, 13-4 doubleheader sweep over Hilbert College (1-3). Tadd Eyster had three hits in each game for Geneva.

steelhounds

Tickets available

YOUNGSTOWN — Tickets for the Youngstown SteelHounds’ home playoff games will go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m.

The SteelHounds (36-20-5) are in fourth place in the Northern Conference standings with three games to play. The top five teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.

Tickets start at $8 and are available by calling (330) 747-PUCK and at the Chevrolet Centre Box Office.

state

Joplin let go

TOLEDO — Stan Joplin was fired as University of Toledo men’s basketball after 12 years. Athletic director Mike O’Brien said the program needs new direction and energy after an 11-19 finish and a disappointing recruiting class. Joplin was MAC coach of the year last season. O’Brien said the coach was surprised when he got the news Sunday.

Joplin had a 203-155 record at Toledo. He signed a three-year extension in 2006 that was to have taken him through next season.

nation

Olympic rider critical

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Olympic equestrian Darren Chiacchia remained unconscious and in critical condition Monday with a severe head injury after falling off his horse during a weekend competition.

Doctors ruled out a spinal injury after extensive testing, his brother said. The 42-year-old rider sustained multiple rib fractures and injuries to both lungs. He was breathing on his own after being taken off of a ventilator.

Chiacchia, a 2004 U.S. Olympic equestrian team member, fell at a fence at the Red Hills Horse Trials competition Saturday. He was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where he remained in the intensive care unit.

world

Boxing at a glance

HAMBURG, Germany — Ruslan Chagaev is expected to defend his WBA heavyweight title against Nikolai Valuev on May 31 in a rematch of their bout last April.

Chagaev (23-0-1) pounded out a decision to take the title from the 7-foot Russian.

Klaus-Peter Kohl, who has the Uzbek champion under contract, won the bidding Monday to stage the bout over German rival Sauerland Promotions and American promoter Don King.

Kohl paid $4.4 million for the fight, planned for Oberhausen, Germany.

Air pollution concern

MADRID, Spain — Haile Gebrselassie expects more athletes to follow his lead and drop out of some events at the Beijing Olympics because of the air pollution.

The two-time Olympic 10,000-meter champion said Monday he was disappointed about not competing in the marathon, but that there was no way he would run the race at the games in August.

Vindicator staff/wire reports