Published: July 30, 2008 11:51 pm      

Local sports briefs 7/31

HOCKEY

Chiefs ink rookie to deal

The Johnstown Chiefs announced the signing of rookie forward Jereme Tendler.

Tendler, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound forward from Viceroy, Saskatchewan, Canada, comes to the Chiefs after completing a four-year career at American International College. He led the Yellowjackets in scoring twice in his career and served as a co-captain during his senior season.

In four seasons at AIC, Tendler registered 49 goals and 87 points, and had 170 penalty minutes in 126 games.

“We are pleased to add a player of Jereme’s caliber to our team for the upcoming season,” said Chiefs’ head coach Ian Herbers. “He is a big, strong kid who is skilled and can skate so he will fit in well with what we want to do this season. Jereme will also be a great fit in the locker room. He was a co-captain last year, and we want strong character guys on this team who will work hard to play their best and improve their games.”



BASKETBALL

Nittany Lions announce slate

UNIVERSITY PARK – Nittany Lion coach Ed DeChellis announced a 13-game non-conference slate and five exhibition games, including a four-game Labor Day weekend trip to Canada, that will begin his sixth season at the Penn State helm and the 113th season of Nittany Lion basketball.

The Nittany Lions will face two 2008 NCAA Tournament teams in the Bryce Jordan Center, make another trip to Atlanta, to face Georgia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and travel to Philadelphia to face Pennsylvania as well as play in the Philly Hoops Classic both in the Palestra during Thanksgiving week.

Penn State will get its season started early with a Labor Day weekend series of games against Canadian colleges and universities in Toronto, Canada. Under NCAA rules, the Nittany Lions will be allowed to conduct 10 team practices in advance of their first game in Canada and then must return to regular off-season NCAA practice hours until the official first day of practice on Oct. 17.

The season officially gets underway on Nov. 14 as Penn State takes on William and Mary.

Penn State will take on Georgia Tech on Dec. 3 in game to be televised by ESPN2.



FOOTBALL

Show to stop by PSU

CHICAGO – Starting Aug. 5, the Big Ten Network kicks off a month-long preview of the football season with a tour of preseason practices from around the conference.

The Big Ten Network’s lead studio team of host Dave Revsine and analysts Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith will take viewers to a practice at every Big Ten school for a special 90-minute edition of Big Ten Tonight: Football Practice. The show will include interviews with special guests, feature in-depth analysis of both sides of the ball and highlight important position battles. One coach or player will wear a wireless microphone during practice to give fans another perspective on the team’s preparation for the season.

All editions of Big Ten Tonight: Football Practice will debut at 9 p.m. The tour begins at Ohio State (Aug. 5) and visits Penn State last, on Aug. 21.

The Big Ten Network will also produce a separate 30-minute football preview show for each Big Ten school. Those programs will premiere throughout the month of August.

The network will televise the season openers for seven Big Ten teams, including Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin.