25 YSU athletes earn degrees

25 YSU athletes earn degrees

YOUNGSTOWN

Twenty-five Youngstown State athletes earned degrees following the fall semester, including six with honors.

The athletes were: Stephen Page (football), Carson Sharbaugh (football), Jamaine Cook (football), Zach Larson (football), Jamarious Boatwright (football), Randall Gillum (football), Travis Williams (football), Rodrigo Campos (tennis), Taylor Sebring (soccer), Brittany Dowd (soccer), Chelsey Haney (soccer), Alteeka Vanwright (frack and field), Symona Gregory (track and field), Monica Ciarniello (frack and field/cross country), Eric Rupe (track and field/cross country), John Seaver (track and field), Casey D’Ambrose (volleyball), Nichele Johnson (volleyball), Jenna Cavanaugh (volleyball), Kris Moules (baseball), Mike Accardi (baseball), Josh White (baseball), Samantha Snodgrass (softball), Elle Stevens (swimming and diving) and Angela Diorio (swimming and diving).

The six earning honors were Ciarniello (summa cum laude), Haney (magna cum laude), White (magna cum laude), Seaver (magna cum laude), Johnson (cum laude) and Snodgrass (cum laude). Former men’s golfer Tim Morrow earned his master’s degree.

LaBrae grad Aldridge earns Atlantic 10 honor

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.

Davidson freshman Peyton Aldridge, a LaBrae High graduate, earned Atlantic 10 Conference rookie of the week honors.

Aldridge finished with a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds and a personal-best four blocks in Davidson’s seventh straight win, an 80-68 victory at College of Charleston.

In addition, the forward finished with five 3-pointers and went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. He also had two assists and a steal in the Wildcat win. It marks the second straight rookie of the week award for Aldridge this season.

Pirates win rights to South Korean infielder

PITTSBURGH

The Pirates have won the rights to negotiate with South Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang.

Pittsburgh has a 30-day window to sign the 27-year-old, who hit .354 with 39 homers last season for the Nexen Heroes while being named the MVP of the Korean Baseball Organization. If the Pirates reach an agreement with Kang, the Nexen Heroes would receive the posting fee for Kang’s rights, reported to be $5,002,015 by Yonhap News Agency.

If the two sides don’t come to terms, Kang’s rights would remain with the Heroes. Major League Baseball announced Monday that Pittsburgh submitted the high bid.

SDSU forward Polee collapses during game

SAN DIEGO

San Diego State forward Dwayne Polee II collapsed on the court during San Diego State’s game against UC Riverside on Monday night and was tended to by a paramedic for several minutes before being taken off on a stretcher.

Polee was conscious as he was wheeled off the court. His teammates came over and gave him fist-bumps. Polee pumped his fists toward the crowd. SDSU officials didn’t immediately know what happened. A spokesman said Polee was responsive and being taken to a hospital.

Polee had missed a layup and teammate JJ O’Brien scored on a tip-in for a 14-8 lead with more than 11 minutes left before the Aztecs went on defense. Polee collapsed face-first near the key.

Struggling Pistons waive Josh Smith

DETROIT

The Detroit Pistons have waived forward Josh Smith, less than two years after signing him to a lucrative free-agent contract.

The Pistons are 5-23 and coach and team president Stan Van Gundy says the club wants to develop younger players. He says he felt it best to give the 29-year-old Smith his freedom to go elsewhere.

Smith signed a $54 million, four-year deal with the Pistons before last season, but he shot only 42 percent from the field in 2013-14. This season, Smith is at 39 percent.

Staff/Wire reports