Colleges

The University of Southern Maine’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s unified sports program was named the winner of the National Association of Division III Athletic Directors inaugural Community Service Award for Special Olympics Activity.

This is the 10th year since 2001 that USM has been honored for its community service efforts but the first time it has been a category winner. The advisory committee also received an Award of Merit in the Array of Projects category.

In its third year, USM’s Unified Sports Program promotes social inclusion through sport, holding weekly skills and drills sessions and social activities with Special Olympic athletes, including athletic sessions in basketball, floor hockey, soccer and volleyball. In 2017-18, 165 USM student-athletes participated with over 2,000 combined volunteer hours.

GOLF

STOREY RETIRING: Nancy Storey will be retiring as executive director of the Maine State Golf Association at the end of this month after more than two decades. Storey, a Cumberland native, took over at the MSGA in 1997.

“Nancy is one of the best things that ever happened to the MSGA,” said Mark Plummer, 13-time Maine Amateur Champion and a mainstay in Maine golf. “Before her it seemed more of a volunteer-run organization, but she made it more professional and got the association more organized.”

BASEBALL

WETTELAND CHARGED: Former major league pitcher John Wetteland has been charged in Texas with continuous sex abuse of a child under age 14. Records show the 52-year-old Wetteland was arrested Monday and freed on $25,000 bond.

Authorities have not released details of the investigation into Wetteland, who was MVP of the 1996 World Series with the New York Yankees.

NATIONALS: Brian Dozier signed a $9 million, one-year contract with Washington. The 31-year-old second baseman said Tuesday other clubs offered him more money and longer deals, but he and his wife opted for the opportunity to win now.

SOCCER

MLS: Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber formally announced Tuesday that Austin will be an expansion franchise for the 2021 season.

The move has been long expected as Austin became the target destination last year to move the Columbus Crew.

The Crew instead will stay in Ohio under a new ownership group.

FA CUP: Newcastle advanced to the fourth round Tuesday. By beating second-tier Blackburn 4-2 after extra time in a third-round replay, Newcastle earned only a fifth FA Cup win in 11 seasons and set up a home match against fellow top-flight side Watford on Jan. 26.

SKIING

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: Mikaela Shiffrin took advantage of a massive first-run lead to win the giant slalom on Tuesday at San Vigilio di Marebbe, Italy to earn her 10th victory of the season.

Having established a 1.39-second advantage in the opening leg on the steep Erta slope, Shiffrin finished a comfortable 1.21 seconds ahead of Tessa Worley of France.

Marta Bassino of Italy was third, 1.57 back.

The overall World Cup leader and Olympic champion in giant slalom, Shiffrin is within striking distance of the all-time record of 14 wins in a single season set by Swiss great Vreni Schneider in 1988-89.