Women's tennis
MADIRGAL HAS THE 'WRIGHT' STUFF: Highland's Abi Madrigal, a two-time state doubles champion, has verbally committed to play for Wright State.
Madrigal won as a sophomore with Liz Quinn and as a junior with sister Vani Madrigal.
Women's soccer
CRIMSON WAVE SINKS HOLY CROSS: Natalia Cazares, Sandra Narvaez and Mallory Defries all scored as Calumet College (5-12, 3-7) downed Holy Cross (1-13-1, 0-8-1) in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference match Wednesday.
Amy Gasiorowski made one save in goal for the Crimson Wave.
Pro hockey
BETTMAN SAYS FULL SEASON 'NOT GOING TO BE A REALITY': NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says it looks as if a full-82 game schedule "is not going to be a reality," as the lockout nears its seventh week.
Speaking at a news conference Wednesday announcing the New York Islanders' move from Nassau Coliseum to Brooklyn's Barclays Center in 2015, Bettman seemed resigned to looking at a shortened season with the NHL and the players' association still at odds after months of negotiations.
Bettman stated, in making the NHL's most recent offer, that a deal needed to be in place by Thursday for the season to begin Nov. 2 and allow for each team to play a full 82-game slate. With no negotiations scheduled, reaching a deal in one day appears very unlikely.
"The fact of the matter is there are just sometimes that you need to take time off because it's clear that you can't do anything to move the process forward," Bettman said. "We're at one of those points right now because we gave our very best offer. That offer, for better or for worse, was contingent on playing an 82-game season. So I think things actually in some respects may get more difficult."
The players' association reached out to the NHL on Tuesday night in an attempt to set up a face-to-face bargaining session Wednesday, but the league declined. The NHL's position is if the union isn't willing to talk about the league's offer that is on the table and isn't prepared to make a new proposal of its own riffing off that offer, there is no reason to talk.
Pro basketball
BULLS WAIVE ALLEN, JARIC: The Bulls have waived guards Ryan Allen and Marko Jaric.
Both players saw limited action, with Allen totaling less than a minute in two preseason games and Jaric making four appearances.
The moves announced Wednesday put Chicago's roster at 13.
Pro baseball
CUBS CLAIM GUTIERREZ OFF WAIVERS: The Cubs have claimed right-handed pitcher Carlos Gutierrez off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and designated catcher Anthony Recker for assignment.
Gutierrez has gone 15-20 with a 4.11 ERA in 136 appearances (32 starts) over five seasons in the Twins' minor league system. He was 2-2 with a 5.06 ERA in 10 relief appearances last season with Triple-A Rochester before suffering a season-ending right shoulder injury in mid-June.
Recker was acquired by the Cubs from Baltimore on Aug. 27 and was 3 for 18 with one home run and four RBIs in nine games with Chicago.
Men's basketball
IU GREAT LASKOWSKI TO PREVIEW TEAM: Former Indiana star John Laskowski (1971-75) will preview the 2012-13 Hoosiers at 6:30 p.m. today at the Bullpen Luxury Bar & Grill in Schererville.
Sponsoring the event is Indiana University's Lakeshore Region Chapter. Laskowski was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. Cost is $5 per person and includes appetizers and door prizes.
College sports
PUC TO HOST 'MEET THE COACHES' TODAY: The public is invited to "Meet the Coaches" of Purdue University Calumet’s 10 intercollegiate athletic teams at 7 p.m. today on campus at the Fitness & Recreation Center.
In addition to meeting Purdue Cal's coaches, attendees will learn more about plans and vision for the Peregrines’ expanding athletics program, including development of an outdoor sports complex at Dowling Park. Light refreshments will be served.
Coaches of PUC's women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s golf squads, as well as new Director of Athletics Rick Costello will be present. Purdue Calumet also plans to introduce baseball and softball squads during the 2013-14 academic year.
Due to limited seating, attendees are invited to RSVP at www.purduecal.edu/meetcoaches or phone (219) 989-2915.
Junior hockey
ILLIANA BLACKBIRDS RETURN TO MIDWEST: The Illiana Blackbirds of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League will play host to the Central Wisconsin Saints this weekend at the Midwest Training and Ice Center in Dyer. The three-game series will start at 7:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a 7 p.m. Saturday game and 3:40 p.m. Sunday game. For details, go to www.illianablackbirds.com.
Youth football
VALPO SPAGHETTI DINNER FUNDRAISER SUNDAY: Valparaiso Pop Warner and Cheer will hold a spaghetti dinner fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Elks 500 Club.
Tickets are $10. Money raised will help fund the Mitey Mite No. 2 team's appearance in an exhibition game Dec. 1 at the ESPN Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. For details, contact Ruth Anne Olson at (219) 548-8336 or ruthanneolson@hotmail.com.
Around the horn
Jeff Blatnick, who overcame cancer to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympics and went on to a career as a sports commentator and motivational speaker, died Wednesday in New York state at age 55. Officials at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, N.Y., said he died there of heart failure.
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