Northwestern Names Fitzgerald, 31, Coach

Northwestern named Pat Fitzgerald its football coach, eight days after Randy Walker died of an apparent heart attack at age 52.

Fitzgerald, 31, becomes the youngest coach in Division I-A. He was the team’s linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator and helped the Wildcats win Big Ten titles in 1995 and ’96.

“The most bittersweet feeling I’ve ever had in my life,” Fitzgerald said of being offered the job and a long-term contract Thursday night by Athletic Director Mark Murphy.

“It’s a dream of mine to be a head football coach here, but not under these circumstances.”

When Walker signed a contract extension through 2011 in April, he told Fitzgerald the job would go to him in 2012. Walker promised Fitzgerald he would come back in retirement with a ponytail and start yelling at him like he always did.

“This wasn’t in the plan,” Fitzgerald said. “But I have a call to duty and the coaching staff has a call to duty and the players have a call to duty to continue the legacy that Randy built. And that is consistent success. My goal will be to take the next step and have consistent championships.”

Fitzgerald has less than a month to prepare for training camp, which opens Aug. 3.

“Our wounds are deep, and our morale is fractured,” he said. “There are a lot of heavy hearts, but Coach would want us to move on.”

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MOTOR RACING

Burton Takes Pole

at Chicagoland

Jeff Burton had a lap of 181.647 mph and won the pole for Sunday’s USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway at Joliet, Ill.

Brian Vickers qualified second, followed by Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson. Last year’s Chicagoland winner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., will start 25th.

Dale Jarrett already was preparing to walk away from Robert Yates Racing at the end of the year. Now his corporate sponsor is following him out the door.

UPS announced that it will leave the Yates team at the end of this season, moving with Jarrett to Michael Waltrip’s startup Nextel Cup team for 2007.

A.J. Allmendinger turned in a lap of 107.777 mph in provisional qualifying for the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto. Allmendinger’s lap guaranteed him a front-row start for Sunday’s race, regardless what he does in final time trials today.

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HOCKEY

Ducks’ 2005 Top Pick

Is Getting Ready

Right wing Bobby Ryan, the Ducks’ top draft pick and the second overall selection in 2005, is among 24 prospects taking part in the team’s conditioning camp that began Friday and will continue through Wednesday at Anaheim Ice, the club’s practice facility.

Three of the Ducks’ draft picks this year -- forwards Matt Beleskey and John DeGray and defenseman Bryce Swan -- are also expected to take part along with recently acquired Swedish winger Bjorn Melin. The camp is open to the public and on-ice sessions will take place from 2:50 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.

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-- Eric Stephens

Defenseman Mike Weaver signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Kings. Weaver appeared in 53 games and had nine assists last season despite a stress fracture in his foot.

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-- Chris Foster

Erik Johnson, the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, will go to the University of Minnesota this fall rather than join the St. Louis Blues. The Blues retain the rights to the defenseman.

MISCELLANY

Glasser Now Plans

to Attend Arizona State

Lakewood Artesia High point guard Derek Glasser, who had committed to USC in April, said he planned to sign with Arizona State after the transfer of Sun Devils guard Kevin Kruger to Nevada Las Vegas.

Kruger will play for his father, Lon, the Runnin’ Rebels’ third-year coach, under new NCAA legislation that allows a player who has graduated to transfer and become immediately eligible at another school.

Kruger’s departure opened a scholarship for Glasser, who said he liked the assurance of being on scholarship for four years. USC Coach Tim Floyd had said that the 6-foot-2, 175-pounder would be on scholarship “at some point” as a Trojan.

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-- Ben Bolch

Toronto Raptors forward Pape Sow had neck surgery to repair a fractured vertebra after falling and hitting another player during practice in Las Vegas.

The operation was Thursday night, with no timetable set for his return, the team said. Sow is from Cal State Fullerton.

Forward Othella Harrington was waived by the Chicago Bulls after a season in which he averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 rebounds.

The sports trial in Italy’s soccer scandal wrapped up as the seven judges retired to deliberate on the fate of four top soccer clubs facing demotion to lower divisions on match-fixing charges. Lead judge Cesare Ruperto said it could take from three to 15 days for verdicts.

The woman who was allegedly assaulted by Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes has asked that charges against the former Ohio State player be dropped, according to Holmes’ attorney.

Holmes was arrested June 19 and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence and simple assault. The woman, the mother of one of Holmes’ children, accused Holmes of choking her, throwing her to the ground, grabbing her arms and slamming her into a door, according to a Columbus, Ohio, police statement.

Denver Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun will be suspended for the first month of the season after testing positive for the banned supplement ephedra, a person close to the player said.