Sports category, Page 933
Pitt QB Phil Jurkovec launches fundraiser for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Early in life, Pitt quarterback Phil Jurkovec saw firsthand the kind of impact specialized care can have on young children. Jurkovec’s younger brother, Sebastian, was born 13 weeks premature, weighing 2 pounds, 2 ounces. “His chance for survival was extremely slim,” Jurkovec said. Jurkovec recalled ever-present consternation on the part...
Ion Izagirre soloes to victory in Tour de France stage as Vingegaard keeps overall lead
BELLEVILLE-EN-BEAUJOLAIS, France — Ion Izagirre emerged victorious from an absorbing mid-mountain Tour de France stage which started with a flurry of attacks that lasted to the end on Thursday. The Cofidis rider posted his second career Tour stage win in the 12th stage. The 169-kilometer (105-mile) stage took riders across...
March Madness expansion discussed by NCAA committee but no deal imminent
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee discussed possible expansion of March Madness at its meetings this week but said no moves were imminent to increase the field beyond the current 68 teams. “Whether the tournament expands or not remains to be seen,” sad Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s...
Olympic gymnastics champion Gabby Douglas says she is aiming for the 2024 Paris Games
Gabby Douglas, the first Black woman to win the Olympic all-around gymnastics title, is taking aim at the 2024 Games in Paris. Douglas announced on her Instagram page Thursday that she is making a comeback attempt, a dozen years after her triumph in London in 2012 and eight years after...
Former Temple coach Tonya Cardoza returning to UConn, among 2 assistant hires
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Former Temple head coach Tonya Cardoza is returning to a former job as an assistant to Geno Auriemma at UConn. The school announced Thursday that Cardoza and current UConn video coordinator Ben Kantor will be added as coaches under NCAA legislation that went into effect July...
Christian Pulisic signs with US-owned AC Milan to revive his club career before home World Cup
MILAN — Christian Pulisic will attempt to revive his sagging club career at American-owned AC Milan leading into a home World Cup in the United States in 2026. Milan announced on Thursday that Pulisic has signed a four-year deal with the club, with the Rossoneri retaining the option for a...
Pirates to begin 2024 season in Miami, face Orioles in home opener
The Pittsburgh Pirates will begin their season on the road for the eighth straight year in 2024 when they visit the Miami Marlins for a Thursday, March 28, opener. The team announced its full 2024 schedule Thursday. After four games in Miami and three in Washington, the Pirates will face...
Messi mania engulfs Miami over the arrival of the Argentine soccer superstar
MIAMI — A hamburger and drink combination called the Lionel Messi. A huge sketch of the soccer star’s smiling face on a restaurant wall beside a viral meme from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A beer with a pink label matching the color of the Inter Miami jersey he...
Former Penguins defenseman Kevin Czuczman signs in Czechia
Former Penguins defenseman Kevin Czuczman has signed a one-year contract for the 2023-24 season with HC Litvinov of the Extraliga ledniho hokeje in Czechia. That team announced the transaction Thursday via release. A native of London, Ont., the 32-year-old Czuczman spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins and was...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Start to 2nd half should answer key questions for the Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates open the second half of the season Friday with more questions than answers, especially after winning 20 of their first 30 games followed by winning only 21 of the next 60. Let’s start with this: Was April an anomaly? If so, is another late-season collapse inevitable? When...
Pitt wrestlers, WVU grad headline MMA fight card at ‘Brawl in The Burgh 17’
Wrestling is a huge part of a mixed martial artist’s repertoire. If fighters don’t grow up on the mats, they invest time to enhance this part of their game. “The two pathways in wrestling post-college are coaching or competing, looking to make an Olympic and World team,” said Mike Wilkins,...
Steelers 2-a-days: Gunner Olszewski wants return job back, Chuks Okorafor keeps his at right tackle
Editor’s note: From the end of minicamp through the day the team reports to training camp at Saint Vincent College, the Trib will be running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2023 season. The breakdown will go through the roster in mostly alphabetical order,...
First Call: Minkah Fitzpatrick finally tops best-safety list; Saquon Barkley to ‘pull a Le’Veon?’
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick had spent most the offseason so far picking up plenty of figurative silver medals in the ultimately meaningless realm of “Best Of” lists. • In May, it was Pro Football Network that rated Fitzpatrick as the NFL’s second-best safety behind the Los Angeles Chargers’ Derwin...
Duquesne adds highly touted Czech forward to men’s basketball recruiting class
The Duquesne men’s basketball team added a highly touted European forward to its class of incoming freshmen and transfers, announcing the commitment of 6-foot-8 forward Jakub Necas from the Czech Republic on Wednesday. Necas has extensive experience with the Czech national team in age-group competition. Last season, he played for...
Big 12 notebook: Oklahoma State hit hard by transfer portalVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Oklahoma State lost at least eight starters among the 18 players who went into the transfer portal since last season. The Cowboys also added 14 players from the portal. “I attribute it to the times,” coach Mike Gundy said Wednesday at Big 12 football media days. “We...
Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth say PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has to earn trust
GULLANE, Scotland — PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan returns to work next week, and some top players believe he has to regain their trust after leaving members in the dark over an about-face deal with the Saudi Arabia wealth fund behind LIV Golf. “I’d say he has a lot of...
Messi mania engulfs Miami ahead of Argentine soccer superstar’s arrivalVideo
MIAMI — A hamburger and drink combination called the Lionel Messi. A huge sketch of the soccer star’s smiling face on a restaurant wall beside a viral meme from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A beer with a pink label matching the color of the Inter Miami jersey he...
Panama upsets U.S. on penalty kicks to reach CONCACAF Gold Cup final
SAN DIEGO — Adalberto Carrasquilla converted the decisive penalty kick after Cristian Roldan failed to convert his attempt, and Panama beat the defending champion United States 5-4 in a shootout after a 1-1 tie on Wednesday night to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Mexico or Jamaica. Iván Anderson...
NCAA finds 175 sports-betting violations since 2018, with 17 ongoing investigationsVideo
LAS VEGAS — The NCAA has found 175 infractions of its sports-betting policy since 2018, and there are 17 active investigations, according to a letter from the sports organization’s president that was obtained Wednesday by the Associated Press. NCAA president Charlie Baker included the numbers in a letter sent this...
Bushy Run unseats Latrobe for American Legion District 31 title
Jason Sabol came back four games ago from a torn right hamstring, an injury that plagued him since early March. The setback, which happened during high school tryouts, cost him most of his junior baseball season at Penn-Trafford and most of this American Legion season. The Bushy Run center fielder...
Patrick Mahomes, Mikaela Shiffrin win top athlete honors at The ESPYSVideo
LOS ANGELES — Patrick Mahomes was honored as best men’s sports athlete at The ESPYS, and skier Mikaela Shiffrin received the women’s sports honor Wednesday night. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has won two Super Bowls in his five seasons and was named MVP of the game each time, including...
Riverhounds run unbeaten streak to 12 with win in Louisville
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds ran their unbeaten streak in USL Championship competition to 12 with a 1-0 victory at Louisville City on Wednesday night. Albert Dikwa scored in the 68th minute for the Riverhounds (9-2-8), who improved to 7-0-5 in their last 12 games to move back ahead of Tampa Bay...
ESPN’s Dick Vitale diagnosed with cancer for a 3rd time
Longtime ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale says he has been diagnosed with cancer for a third time. Vitale tweeted Wednesday that he had surgery in Boston this week, and tests revealed he has vocal cord cancer. He said he will undergo six weeks of radiation treatments. “I plan to...
MLB All-Star Game draws record-low viewership for 2nd year in row
NEW YORK — Baseball’s All-Star Game drew a record low in viewers for the second straight year. The National League’s 3-2 win over the American League in Seattle on Tuesday night was seen by 7,006,000 viewers on Fox, down from 7.51 million last year. The game drew a 3.9 rating,...
Ja Morant’s lawyers cite ‘stand your ground’ law, self-defense in pickup basketball lawsuit
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The future of a lawsuit accusing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant of assaulting a teenager during a pickup basketball game hinges on whether Morant will be allowed to say he was acting in self-defense and can receive immunity under Tennessee law. A judge Wednesday ruled Morant’s lawyers...
