Yzerman resigns as Lightning GM
Steve Yzerman stepped down as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning after building them into a perennial contender, handing the reins to longtime assistant Julien BriseBois just two days before training camp.
Yzerman will move to a senior adviser role working under BriseBois and he said he was “100 percent committed” to the Lightning this season. Beyond that, Yzerman’s future is cloudy and BriseBois is now in charge.
“I feel this change in role is important for me to allow me to spend more time with my family and to still make sure the Lightning is managed to the level everyone has come to expect,” Yzerman said Tuesday. “We are all delighted that Julien is our next GM. He is more than ready.”
It was a surprising move for a powerhouse team, one that reached the Eastern Conference final last season. The 53-year-old Yzerman spent the past eight seasons as Tampa Bay’s GM, a tenure that included five playoff appearances, three trips to the conference final and an appearance in the 2015 Stanley Cup final.
College football
HURRICANE CAUSES HAVOC ON WEEKEND GAMES >> Hurricane Florence has forced the cancellation of several games this weekend, including No. 13 Virginia Tech’s home game against East Carolina, No. 14 West Virginia’s trip to North Carolina State and No. 18 UCF’s game at North Carolina.
The Category 4 storm’s approach led to a series of schedule adjustments Tuesday for teams in the Carolinas and Virginia. The University of Virginia’s scheduled home game Saturday against Ohio was relocated to Nashville, Tennessee and the start time for Wake Forest’s Atlantic Coast Conference home game Thursday against Boston College was moved up. The decisions were made as Florence appears set to come ashore along the Carolinas’ coastline late Thursday or early Friday with strong winds and heavy rain.
The ACC also announced that Wake Forest’s game against BC in Winston-Salem will now start at 5:30 p.m. (EDT) to get done earlier with Florence’s expected arrival. And Duke coach David Cutcliffe said his team would leave a day earlier than usual for its Saturday game at Baylor. WISCONSIN PLAYER OREDERED TO STAND TRIAL >> A Madison judge ordered Wisconsin receiver Quintez Cephus to stand trial on charges that he sexually assaulted two drunken women this spring, rejecting a motion from his attorneys to dismiss one of the counts alleging that the women weren’t as impaired as investigators say.
Prosecutors charged Cephus in August with secondand third-degree sexual assault, both of which are felonies. Cepus has said the sex was consensual and denied any wrongdoing.
Basketball
NNEKA OGWUMIKE A FINALIST FOR WORLD CUP TEAM >> The U.S. women’s national basketball team cut its roster down to 16 finalists for the FIBA Women’s World Cup, and former Stanford star Nneka Ogwumike made the cut. Ogwumike, the 2016 WNBA MVP, was a member of the 2014 championship team. Sabrina Ionescu, current Oregon star and a former East Bay prep standout, did not make the final cut. Two-time defending gold medalists, the USA will compete in this year’s FIBA World Cup, formerly the FIBA World Championship, from Sept. 22-30 in Spain. The final 12-member USA World Cup Team will be selected prior to the start of the World Cup.
Colleges
SPARTANS SWEEP TEAM, INDIVIDUAL WOMEN’S GOLF TITLES >> San Jose State’s women’s golf team started the season strong, as its rookie head coach Dana Dormann and freshman Natasha Andrea Oon led the Spartans to team and individual titles at the Minnesota Invitational at the Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury.
The Spartans shot a three-over 291 in the final round and finished the tournament at 4-under 860 to claim the team title by 12 shots over Virginia Tech. Oon finished her first collegiate tournament by shooting a 2-under 70 and ended the tournament at 9-under 207. She won the individual title by six shots over Emily Mahar of Virginia Tech.
Motors
FORMER F1 CHAMPION RAIKKONEN LEAVING FERRARI FOR SAUBER >> Kimi Raikkonen is leaving Ferrari for Sauber and will be replaced by rookie Charles Leclerc. Raikkonen, who won the 2007 Formula One title with Ferrari, will be heading back to Sauber from next season while Leclerc will take his seat alongside Sebastian Vettel.