Sports Rewind

FOOTBALL

Former Penn State quarterback Zach Mills, who was the team’s starter for four years under Lions coach Joe Paterno, was hired yesterday as a graduate assistant offensive coordinator by Temple coach Al Golden.

Mills is the fourth former Nittany Lion on the Owls’ coaching staff. He joins Golden, defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio and running backs coach Jeff Nixon.

Mills holds or shares 18 Penn State total offense and passing records. His 41 career touchdown passes are tied for the lead at Penn State. His 7,796 all-purpose yards are the most in Penn State history and it ranks Mills ninth all-time in the Big Ten Conference.

In other football news, the team announced yesterday that it is seeking walk-on players for the 2006 season.

As of today, prospective players can report to Edberg-Olson Hall on Main Campus from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and ask for graduate assistant coach Jonas Jackson. The deadline is March 3. A representative of Temple’s Athletic Department said spots are limited.

SOFTBALL

The Owls lost their third consecutive game Sunday at the USF/Best Western Invitational. The loss came after Jacksonville invoked the eight-run rule in the fifth inning, ending the game at 9-1.

The Owls’ lone run came when freshmen Danielle Fagan and Courtney Norene each doubled in the bottom of the second.

Starting pitcher Jennifer Nacianceno was charged with the loss after allowing five hits and seven runs in 1.2 innings.

Freshman reliever Katie Burdeaux pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two Jacksonville batters in the process.

The Owls lost their first two games of the tournament to Hofstra and South Florida, the tournament’s host. The Owls were missing three starters who had been suspended for undisclosed reasons.

The Owls finished the tournament with a double-header against Charleston and Florida A&M yesterday.

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

The women’s gymnastics team finished fourth at the Shelli Calloway Invitational hosted by Towson Saturday. The Owls are 3-13.

Junior Jillian Kornett placed 12th on vault and freshman Natasha Crawford finished 11th on bars.

In floor exercise, junior Sarah Liebowitz placed 14th overall while freshman Nikki Berrian finished 16th.

The Owls are in action Friday at Ursinus where they will compete in a dual meet. It marks the third time this season that the teams have competed against one another.