Pitt QB transfer is eligible
NCAA grants Yellen waiver to play now
Pitt quarterback Joey Yellen, who transferred in from Arizona State in January, was granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA, per a team spokesperson.
Yellen, a redshirt freshman, will compete with Nick Patti and Davis Beville to be senior Kenny Pickett’s backup, with an eye looking toward the Panthers’ 2021 starting job.
“This is outstanding news for Joey and our entire program,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “He’s been such a great addition, on and off the field, for us.”
“I’m very happy to have received this news from the NCAA, and I appreciate them making this decision on my situation,” Yellen said. “I am excited to be available for my team this season and look forward to helping out any way I can.”
It should be noted that Yellen sitting out in 2020 would not have added to his potential time with Pitt. He’s now a redshirt freshman with four years of eligibility. If his waiver was denied, he would be a redshirt sophomore in 2021 with three years with Pitt ahead of him.
As a true freshman at Arizona State in 2019, Yellen played in one game and redshirted. He threw for 292 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss to Southern California. He later lost out on the starting job to fellow freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Yellen’s recruitment to Pitt was quick. He announced his intent to transfer Dec. 16, and two hours later, former Pitt offensive lineman Mark May, who lives in Arizona, texted Narduzzi and said, “You might want to get on this guy.” Mark Whipple, Pitt’s offensive coordinator, reached out to Yellen an hour after he announced he was leaving Arizona State.
Tennis
Serena Williams lost to an opponent ranked outside the top 100 for the first time in eight years, beaten by Shelby Rogers, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5), in the Top Seed Open quarterfinals in
Lexington, Ky. Rogers took six of the final eight points after trailing, 3-1, in the tiebreaker. She is No. 116 and picked up only her third career victory over a top-10 opponent.
• Top-seeded Simona Halep cruised past lucky loser Magdalena Frech, 6-2, 6-0, to advance to the semifinals of the Prague Open. Halep, ranked No. 2, converted her first match point with a backhand winner to beat Frech, ranked 174.
Pro basketball
DeWanna Bonner had 19 points and nine rebounds, and Alyssa Thomas added 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Connecticut Sun (4-6) held off the Chicago Sky (6-4), 77-74, in WNBA action in in Bradenton, Fla . ... Breanna Stewart had 21 points with six assists to lead the Seattle Storm (9-1) past the Dallas Wings (3-7), 83-65.
Auto racing
Honda claimed a clear edge on Chevrolet in speed on Fast Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Marco Andretti topped 233 mph in the final practice before qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. Andretti jumped to the top of the speed chart by logging a lap at 233.491 mph.
• Mercedes again topped the leader board as Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest time ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas in second practice for the Spanish Grand Prix in Montmelo.
Soccer
Bayern Munich totally embarrassed Barcelona for an 8-2 Champions League win to book a spot in the semifinals of the tournament in Lisbon. The loss was Barcelona’s worst in the Champions League.
College
The Ohio Valley Conference postponed all fall sports including football, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball and asked members to develop plans for league competition and championships in the spring.
Running
Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda broke one of the most daunting world records in track and field, running 12:35.36 in the 5,000 meters in Monaco. Kenesisa Bekele’s world record was 12:37.35, set in 2004.