Newsmakers
Hired The University of Buffalo has hired Bobby Hurley to take over as its men’s basketball coach. Hurley, who was introduced at a news conference Tuesday, completed his first season as an associate coach at Rhode Island this month. Hurley is best known for his playing days at Duke, where he led the Blue Devils to three Final Four berths in the early 1990s.
• Troy has hired Western Kentucky assistant Phil Cunningham as its men’s basketball coach. Cunningham replaces Don Maestri, who retired at the Sun Belt Conference tournament after 31 seasons and 500 wins.
Fired The Western Hockey League’s Lethbridge Hurricanes have fired head coach and general manager Rich Preston. The club failed to make the WHL playoffs during Preston’s four seasons at the helm. The Hurricanes promoted Brad Robson to general manager. Robson had been an assistant GM with the club since 2008.
• Carroll College in Helena says men’s basketball coach Brandon Veltri will not be back next season. Veltri was the Saints’ coach for four seasons. The team finished this season 2-24, going 1-14 in the Frontier Conference.
Promoted The Pacific Tigers have promoted top assistant Ron Verlin to be their new basketball coach, replacing Bob Thomason after he spent 25 years coaching his alma mater. Verlin served as associate head coach for the past 19 years under Thomason, who took the Tigers to the first round of the NCAA tournament before losing 78-49 to No. 2 seed Miami last Friday. The Tigers will join the West Coast Conference next season.
Released UCLA starting safety Tevin McDonald has been released from the football program for violating team policy. Bruins coach Jim Mora announced the decision.
Upheld FIFA has upheld the United States’ 1-0 win over Costa Rica in a snowy World Cup qualifier last week, saying the protest by the visitors was not filed correctly.
Announced As expected, Sam Querrey, John Isner and Bob Bryan and his brother Mike are on the U.S. roster for the Davis Cup quarterfinal against Serbia. The roster was announced by U.S. captain Jim Courier. The event will be held April 5-7 in Boise.