SPORTS DIGEST || YSU track team adds 15 athletes

YSU track team adds 15 athletes

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State women’s track and field team added 11 athletes and the men’s team added four to next year’s team.

Three of the men’s signees are from the Valley: Austintown Fitch pole vaulter Dylan Latone, Maplewood distance runner Derek Morrison and Warren JFK hurdler Chad Zallow. The Penguins also signed decathlete Isaac Agyemang of Woodbridge, Va.

Three of the women’s recruits hail from the area: Boardman distance runner Jordan Grantonic, Poland thrower Nicolette Kreatsoulas and Girard pole vaulter/runner Caitlyn Trebella. Other signees are distance runner Morgan Ansell of Hempfield, Pa.; jumper Janae Cox of Bourbonnais, Ill.; jumper Chontel Fils of Bradonia, N.Y.; jumper Ashley Glass of Akron; jumper Abby Jones of Franklin, Pa.; hurdler/distance runner Suzanne Koziol of Burton; pole vaulter Shelby Marken of Berea and distance runner Jennifer Muhlenkamp of Shreve.

Salinas to fight at Presque Isle

ERIE, PA.

Alejandro “Popo” Salinas (2-0, 2 KOs) will fight Jose Jimenez (1-0) of St. Louis in a four-round lightweight bout on Saturday night at Presque Isle Downs Casino.

Salinas, who trains with Jack Loew at the Southside Boxing Club, is coming off a first-round knockout of Bryant Bivens on April 18.

Applewood to hold first golf outing

BOARDMAN

Applewood Swim and Tennis Club will host its first golf outing June 18 at Firestone Farms in Columbiana to mark the club’s 50th anniversary.

Four-person teams will participate in a scramble starting at 9 a.m., with dinner, prizes and awards to follow.

The cost per player is $80.

To learn more, register or become a sponsor, visit www.astc.dojiggy.com.

Leinart, Urlacher make College HOF ballot

IRVING, TEXAS

USC Heisman Trophy Winner Matt Leinart and former New Mexico star Brian Urlacher are among the players making their first appearance on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot.

The National Football Foundation released on Tuesday the players and coaches being considered for selection to the Hall of Fame this year.

The new class will be announced Jan. 8 in Arizona.

Heisman winners Eric Crouch (2001) and Rashaan Salaam (1994) are also among the 76 players FBS up for election.

Other notable first-timers on the ballot include: Kansas State’s Michael Bishop, Florida State stars Derrick Brooks and Terrell Buckley, Penn State’s Kerry Collins, Purdue’s Rod Woodson, Texas A&M’s Dat Nguyen, Michigan State’s Morten Andersen and Washington State’s Mike Utley.

CFP semifinals to start at 4 p.m.

DALLAS

The first College Football Playoff semifinal will begin at 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

The second season of the playoff will be the first in which the semifinals will be played on Dec. 31, a Thursday this year. Last year’s semifinals were played on Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl and drew record television ratings for ESPN.

This year the semifinals will be played in the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl. The order of the games will be announced on Dec. 6. The second game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Bulls hire Hoiberg as new coach

CHICAGO

The Chicago Bulls made it official Tuesday, hiring Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg to replace Tom Thibodeau.

Hoiberg was long rumored as the replacement for Thibodeau, who was fired last week after five seasons. Hoiberg went 115-56 with the Cyclones, including four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and back-to-back Big 12 tournament titles. He had open-heart surgery in April.

Vindicator staff/wire reports