Former Phantom Loney is Baby Pen

Former Phantom Loney is Baby Pen

WILKES-BARRE, Pa

Ty Loney, a member of the Youngstown Phantoms in their first two USHL seasons, has signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Loney played four seasons at the University of Denver. As a senior, Loney reached double digits in goal scoring for the third time in four years, tallying 10 goals in 35 games, while also contributing six assists.

Following the 2014-15 season with the Pioneers, the native of Valencia, Pa., joined the Norfolk Admirals (AHL) and recorded a goal and two assists in his professional debut on April 7 at Binghamton. Loney finished with four points (2G-2A) in five appearances for the Admirals.

Over four seasons at the University of Denver, Loney totaled 39 goals, 50 assists and 128 penalty minutes in 152 games. He helped lead the Pioneers to two consecutive National Collegiate Hockey Conference championships (2014, 2015) and four straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

The 23-year-old is the son of Troy and Aafke Loney, co-owners of the Phantoms along with Bruce Zoldan. Troy Loney played in 532 games and won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Morgan, Augustine earn coaching honors

NEW ORLEANS

Wabash track coach Clyde Morgan, a Chaney High graduate, and St. Norbert track coach Don Augustine, a Cardinal Mooney graduate, were each named regional coaches of the year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Morgan, who was honored for the Great Lakes region, led his team to the No. 1 rating in the region and entered the NCAA meet ranked 21st in the nation with eight qualifiers. The Little Giants won the North Coast Athletic Conference title.

Augustine, who was honored in the Midwest Region, led the Green Knights to their first Midwest Conference title. St. Norbert qualified a relay and two decathletes to the NCAA meet, the most in school history.

Correction

Canfield’s Andrew Hallof was incorrectly identified in a Monday story about local athletes who placed at the state track meet.

NCAA approves 30-second shot clock

INDIANAPOLIS

College basketball is undergoing a major overhaul next season.

Men’s teams will use a faster shot clock — 30 seconds instead of 35 seconds — and have fewer timeouts, while women’s teams will play four 10-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves.

All of it became official Monday when the NCAA’s Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved a series of changes that everybody hopes will improve the game. It’s hardly a surprise after the men’s and women’s rules committees made separate sweeping recommendations in May.

Triple Crown ratings big but not biggest

NEW YORK

American Pharoah’s historic Triple Crown win has drawn the third-best television rating for the Belmont Stakes since that started being measured in 1988.

The 18.6 million viewers were down from the 20.5 million for California Chrome’s Triple Crown attempt last year.

Most $2 winning bets uncashed at Belmont

NEW YORK

A $2 ticket on American Pharoah to win the Belmont Stakes may be worth a lot more money later than now. Or, people are hanging on to their own little piece of horse racing history.

More than 95 percent of those who spent two bucks on a win ticket have yet to cash them.

Of the 94,128 $2 win wagers placed on American Pharoah from Friday until Saturday’s Belmont, 90,237 (nearly 96 percent) remain live — uncashed — according to figures released Monday by AmTote International.

For the 3,891 who cashed their $2 win tickets as of Monday, they received $3.80. The redemption deadline is March 31, 2016, or the money is returned to the state.

Vindicator staff/wire reports