Sports briefs
WPIAL finalizes championship sites
For the first time in three decades the WPIAL Track & Field Championships will not be hosted by Baldwin High School.
The WPIAL board of directors voted Tuesday to move the individual meet to Slippery Rock University. Peters Township will host the WPIAL team track championships.
Baldwin hosted the Class AAA individual championships since 1987. It was home to the Class AA meet since 2009.
Other sites that were finalized include California University hosting the cross country championships, all six classifications for the football championships (Class 6A, 4A, 3A and A at Heinz Field, Norwin High School hosting Class 5A and Robert Morris remaining the site for the Class 2A championship), Canon-McMillan retaining the wrestling championships and the softball championships returning to Cal University’s Lilley Field.
Pitt hires
softball coach
Jodi Hermanek was hired Tuesday as the new women’s softball coach at Pitt.
With 397 career wins and 14 years of NCAA Division I head coaching experience, including the past 10 at Ohio University, Hermanek becomes just the third head coach in Pitt softball history. She takes over the Panthers after a successful 2018 season in which the team won the program’s first ACC Coastal Division title and reached the ACC tournament championship game for the second time in four years.
For the last 10 years, Hermanek led Ohio to success at both the conference and national level. She has led the team to two NCAA postseason appearances (2018, 2014), including the first in 19 years, as well as two Mid-American Conference tournament championships (2018, 2014), a MAC regular season championship (2018) and three MAC East Division championships (2018, 2017, 2011).
Hermanek coached the Bobcats to a 40-17 record in 2018, marking the second consecutive season with 40-plus wins. They went on to win the MAC tournament championship, giving Ohio an automatic berth to the 2018 NCAA tournament. Ohio reached the regional championship game before losing to Tennessee.
“We are proud to welcome Jodi Hermanek as our new head softball coach at Pitt,” said Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke. “We have great expectations for this program and conducted a national search for a new leader who is prepared and confident in their ability to exceed those expectations. We found that leader in Coach Hermanek.”
Eagles running low on quarterbacks
Nick Foles has missed three straight practices because of muscle spasms near his shoulder and neck and Carson Wentz still isn’t participating in 11-on-11 drills for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Foles’ injury isn’t considered serious, but it’s uncertain whether the Super Bowl MVP will play in the preseason opener Thursday night against Pittsburgh. Wentz is coming back from surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee.
Third-stringer Nate Sudfeld will likely get most of the snaps against the Steelers with No. 4 quarterback Joe Callahan also seeing action.
Coach Doug Pederson hasn’t determined if Wentz will play at all in the preseason. He still hasn’t been cleared for contact.
The Eagles open their regular season against the Atlanta Falcons Sept. 6.
Cavs make trade
The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired forward Sam Dekker in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Dekker, a first-round pick by Houston in 2015, averaged 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds as a reserve in 73 games last season for the Clippers.
As part of the trade, the Cavaliers will send the draft rights to Vladimir Veremeenko to the Clippers. The Cavaliers will also receive the rights to Renaldas Seibutis and cash considerations.