SOCCER
Former defender Kate Markgraf was named general manager of the U.S. women’s national team, U.S. Soccer announced Monday.
Markgraf, 42, will oversee the search for a coach to replace Jill Ellis, who is leaving the team in October. Ellis is stepping away after leading the United States to back-to-back Women’s World Cup titles.
The federation also said that the general manager for the men’s national team, Earnie Stewart, was promoted to the new position of sporting director, overseeing U.S. Soccer’s sports performance department.
RUSSIAN LEAGUE: The Akhmat Grozny team is facing punishment after its stadium’s public-address system was used to insult the referee during a game. Shortly after referee Alexei Sukhoi sent off Akhmat striker Ablaye Mbengue in Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Spartak Moscow, a shout came over the PA system calling the referee by a Russian expletive. Many in the crowd cheered.
BASKETBALL
NBA: The Boston Celtics will open their season Oct. 23 at Philadelphia, then play their home opener two nights later against Toronto – part of the overall league schedule announced Monday.
Other key dates for the Celtics are noon on Christmas at Toronto, and Nov. 27 at home against Brooklyn – Kyrie Irving’s return after leaving in free agency over the summer.
SNOWBOARDING
INVENTOR DIES: Sherman Poppen, the snowboard inventor who laid the groundwork for a multibillion-dollar industry, died July 31 at his home in Griffin, Georgia. He was 89.
In 1965, while living in Michigan, Poppen was looking for a way to entertain his daughters on a snowy Christmas Day. So he strapped two skis together and held them in place with wooden crossbars. His wife dubbed it a “Snurfer.” A year later he got a patent on the contraption.
TENNIS
WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN: Using a bottomless arsenal of drop shots, Richard Gasquet snapped a five-match losing streak against Andy Murray with a 6-4, 6-4 win in the first round of the Western & Southern Open at Mason, Ohio.
The singles match was Murray’s first since a painful exit from the Australian Open in January that had him thinking his career might be over.
• Svetlanta Kuznetosva, a two-time major champion, was moved into the main draw of the U.S. Open after Dominika Cibulkova withdrew because of an injured left foot.
HOCKEY
NHL: Carolina signed its team president and general manager, Don Waddell, 60, to a three-year contract extension. Terms were not disclosed.
Waddell had been mentioned as a candidate for Minnesota’s GM vacancy. He has been with the organization since 2014, and the Hurricanes made their first playoff appearance in a decade during his first season as the team’s full-time GM.
• Florida will send Roberto Luongo’s No. 1 jersey to the rafters on March 7. The opponent will be Montreal, the hometown team for the now-retired goaltender.
– News service report
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