YSU

YSU

Five track members compete at regionals

YOUNGSTOWN — Five members of the Youngstown State track and field program will compete to qualify for nationals at the NCAA Mideast Regional today and Saturday.

Throwers Bethany Anderson, Joe Lahmon and Aaron Merrill all hit the regional automatic qualifying standard while Harold Jones and Shayne York earned berths by winning an event at the Horizon League Championships.

The top five finishers in each event automatically gain entry to the NCAA National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, which starts June 11.

LOCAL

Fitch to dedicate baseball field

AUSTINTOWN — The Falcon Forward Campaign Committee and the leadership of the Austintown Public Schools will formally dedicate the baseball field at Austintown Fitch High School Richard L. Coppola Field. The dedication takes place Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the field at the southeast corner of Falcon Stadium.

Mr. Coppola owns one of the most successful coaching careers in Ohio High School baseball history. His Falcon teams recorded 453 wins, 13 Steel Valley Conference championships, 11 district tiles, 4 regional titles and four trips to the state finals tournament over a 27 year span that started in 1969. Many of his players graduated to play at the collegiate and professional levels. His former players include current Fitch Head Baseball Coach Wally Ford and Assistant Coaches Don Dobrindt and Joe Paris.

Canfield seniors receive awards

CANFIELD — Seniors Kate Popovec (3.87 GPA, 4 year Basketball letter-winner All-MAC/PITT athletic scholarship) and Mark Carrocce (Football, three year letter-winner, All-MAC/Baseball, three year letter-winner, All-MAC) were Canfield’s recipients of the prestigious OHSAA-sponsored “Archie Griffin Sportsmanship” Award. This award, named for the two-time OSU Heisman Trophy winner, is presented each year to a male and female athlete who has been outstanding in their efforts to promote sportsmanship in their school and community.

The U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award for courage, poise, self-confidence and leadership was also presented to Popovec and to sophomore Garrett Trebilcock (3.9 GPA, North Eastern Aquatic Conference Co-swimmer of the year/high school swimming All-American).

Finally, the U. S. Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Award was presented to seniors Daniel Wright (class co-valedictorian, Cross Country/Track) and Melissa West (All-MAC Basketball/All-MAC Softball) in recognition of their superlative efforts both in the classroom and in athletics.

AREA

Mitchell named Thiel new SID

GREENVILLE, Pa.– Ben Mitchell has been named Sports Information Director at Thiel College, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Roseanne Gill-Jacobson, recently announced. He succeeds Kevin Fenstermacher who recently accepted another position at the College.

A native of Homer City, Pa., Mitchell spent the last two years serving as Assistant Director of Athletic Communication at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pa.

NATION

Volleyball coach files law suit

MARTIN, Tenn. — Former University of Tennessee-Martin volleyball coach Amy Draper has filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the school.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Jackson by Draper, who says she was wrongly dismissed in January and replaced by a less experienced male coach.

The university declined to comment on the lawsuit Thursday.

In the suit, Draper also argues that UT-Martin administrators slight women’s sports in violation of federal law. The suit asked for unspecified monetary damages.

Vindicator staff/wire report