Snow cancels YSU bowling tourney

The Prairie View Invitational, which Youngstown State’s bowling team was scheduled to compete in this weekend, has been canceled due to a potential winter storm in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a state of emergency as North Texas faces a winter storm starting Friday. The system is expected to bring “a treacherous mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow that could make travel nearly impossible through the weekend,” according to Dallas-based KDFW Fox 4.

The Penguins were scheduled to fly to Texas on Wednesday, and Prairie View A&M made the decision to cancel the tournament on Tuesday night. The event was slated to be held at The ITRC in Arlington, Texas.

Mets acquire Robert from White Sox

CHICAGO — The busy New York Mets acquired Luis Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox late Tuesday night, filling a hole in center field.

New York sent speedy infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago for Robert, who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since a stellar 2023 season.

The Mets had been looking for outfield help since they traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. They were in the mix for Kyle Tucker before he to signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The trade was announced after New York finalized a $126 million, three-year contract with Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star shortstop who is moving to third base.

Robert hit a career-low .223 with 14 homers, 53 RBIs and a career-best 33 steals in 110 games last year. Despite the shaky performance, the White Sox exercised his $20 million option for 2026.

Robert’s contract also has a $20 million club option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout.

New York is looking to return to the playoffs after it faded to an 83-79 record last year. Popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz departed in free agency, but the Mets signed closer Devin Williams, reliever Luke Weaver and infielder Jorge Polanco.

The 23-year-old Acuña hit .234 with eight RBIs and 16 steals in 95 games with New York last season. Acuña, who can play second base, third base, shortstop and center field, was acquired by the Mets in a July 2023 trade with the Rangers for pitcher Max Scherzer.

Bills owner calls out Coleman pick

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — As if Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman didn’t attract enough negative attention for showing up late to meetings during an underperforming season.

On Wednesday, the second-year player was drawn into the conversation involving team owner Terry Pegula’s abrupt decision to fire coach Sean McDermott on Monday.

Pegula shared the podium with general manager Brandon Beane during an end-of-season news conference. And the owner interjected when questions turned to Beane’s failure to improve the team’s group of receivers last offseason and Coleman’s lack of development.

Pegula then explained it was the coaching staff that pushed for Coleman being the Bills’ second-round pick in the 2024 draft.

Pegula later clarified to The Associated Press he was not referring to McDermott, but rather another coach, whom he declined to name.

Beane somewhat contradicted Pegula by saying Coleman was “my pick,” before suggesting what Pegula meant is Buffalo could have considered addressing another position with the selection.

Buffalo twice traded back in the draft order before selecting Coleman with the first pick of the second round.

Coleman was disciplined by having to sit out the opening series of a loss to New England in Week 5. A month later, the 22-year-old was a healthy scratch in a game against Tampa Bay. It marked the third time he had been disciplined after also being late for a meeting during his rookie season.

Each time Coleman vowed to do better, and finished the season with 38 catches for 404 yards and four TDs.

Judge blocks Duke QB’s transfer

A judge has granted Duke’s request for a temporary restraining order blocking quarterback Darian Mensah from enrolling to play football at another school until a court hearing set for early February.

The school filed a lawsuit Monday in Durham County Superior Court against Mensah seeking to block his efforts to transfer and reach a contract with another school to play elsewhere next season. The complaint came three days after Mensah reversed his previously announced plan to return to the Blue Devils after leading them to the Atlantic Coast Conference title.

Judge Michael O’Foghludha signed an order Wednesday that prevents Mensah from enrolling elsewhere, signing a licensing deal with another school or taking any other action breaching the two-season contract Mensah signed with Duke running through 2026.

The order, formalizing a verbal ruling from Tuesday’s hearing, didn’t grant Duke’s additional request seeking to block Mensah from entering his name into the transfer portal entirely. But he otherwise can’t take additional steps in the process of reaching a deal to play at a new school, with the order designed to “preserve the status quo” until a Feb. 2 hearing.

“Mr. Mensah has an existing contract with Duke which the university intends to honor, and we expect he will do the same,” Duke said in a statement Wednesday. “The court-ordered temporary restraining order issued (Tuesday) ensures he does not violate his contract. The university is committed to supporting all our student-athletes, while expecting each of them to abide by their contractual obligations.”

The school argued its contract with Mensah — signed in July 2025 — paid him for exclusive rights to market Mensah’s name, image and likeness (NIL) tied to playing college football. Duke’s lawsuit argued that the contract requires parties to go through arbitration before any dispute can be resolved.

In an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday, sports-law attorney Darren Heitner, said on social media that Mensah “is not, for the time being” allowed to enroll or play football elsewhere before a decision by a different judge set to preside over the next hearing.

Mensah, who transferred in from Tulane and even faced his former team, finished second in the Bowl Subdivision ranks by throwing for 3,973 yards while ranking tied for second with 34 passing touchdowns.