Presidents tab Hays as new basketball coach

July 7, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

WASHINGTON, Pa.

Washington & Jefferson College Director of Athletics Bill Dukett announced the hiring of Emily Hays on Tuesday as the head women’s tennis coach.

Hays is a 2009 Washington & Jefferson College graduate, and owns the most victories by a women’s basketball player in school history. The Presidents won 89 games during her four years on campus.

The 2009 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Player of the Year is 10th in W&J history with 1,147 points. She also amassed 537 rebounds during a career in which she earned one first team All-PAC awards.

Former Notre Dame football aide dies at 77

SOUTH BEND, Ind.

Tom Pagna, a former assistant to legendary Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian, has died. He was 77.

The university says Pagna died Tuesday at Memorial Hospital in South Bend. It didn’t give the cause of death.

Pagna was an offensive coach for the Fighting Irish for all 11 seasons Parseghian coached there. From 1964-74, Notre Dame had a record of 95-17-4 and national championships in 1966 and 1973.

Yankees’ closer Rivera out of All-Star game

OAKLAND, Calif.

New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera says he won’t pitch in the All-Star game next week because of nagging injuries.

Rivera told reporters before Tuesday night’s game in Oakland that he had been “pitching hurt” with a sore left side and an injured right knee. He says he would rather have the time off than pitch in the game. Rivera expects to be available to pitch this week leading up to next Tuesday’s game.

Rivera was picked for his 11th All-Star team on Sunday. He is 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA, and has converted 19 of 21 save opportunities.

Rookie Stasburg is OK without an All-Star bid

WASHINGTON

Washington Nationals rookie Stephen Strasburg says he understands why he was left off the All-Star team and that he isn’t ready for the midsummer classic yet.

Strasburg said Tuesday he didn’t expect to make the NL squad and that it’s far more important for him to help build the Nationals into a contender.

The 21-year-old Strasburg, the first overall pick in last June’s amateur draft who signed a record $15.1 million contract, is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA in six starts. He has struck out 53 and walked eight in 36 2-3 innings.

Chivas USA advances in soccer tournament

HOUSTON

Justin Braun scored twice to lead Chivas USA into the semifinals of US Open Cup with a 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday night.

Chivas will face the winner of today’s game between the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy.

Columbus earns Cup win over Charleston

COLUMBUS, Ohio

Emilio Renteria converted a penalty kick in the 38th minute and the Columbus Crew defeated Charleston 3-0 in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match Tuesday night.

Steven Lenhart scored on a redirect from Duncan Oughton in the 70th minute and Eddie Gaven added another goal in the 87th as the Crew advanced to the semifinals against the winner of the Harrisburg City-D.C. United match scheduled for July 21.

U.S. ready for medals at hoops tournament

HAMBURG, Germany

Brad Beal, of St. Louis, and Michael Gilchrist, of Somerdale, N.J., both scored 18 points to lead seven U.S. players in double figures in a 132-64 victory over Egypt on Tuesday in the U17 World Championships.

Justin Anderson, of Montross, Va., and Chasson Randle, of Rock Island, Ill., both had 16 points, Marquis Teague, of Indianapolis, added 12.

The United States (4-0) had already clinched a berth in the medal round. The U.S. team has one preliminary round game against Serbia (2-2) on Thursday and the quarterfinals Friday.

Vindicator staff/wire reports