Ivy League will limit number of full-contact football practices

In an effort to reduce the number of concussions and subconcussive hits, Ivy League football teams will be allowed to have two full-contact practices a week, three fewer than the NCAA allows.

The league’s announcement that the presidents of its eight schools have accepted a series of recommendations made by a special committee puts the Ivy League in a leadership role in trying to limit concussive hits in football.

The recommendations, which will take effect this season, also limit contact workouts to one during preseason two-a-day workouts. The league also will put further emphasis on educating athletes on proper tackling technique, the signs and symptoms of a concussion, and the potential short- and long-term ramifications of repetitive brain trauma.

The league also told players there will be more stringent post-game league review of helmet-to-helmet and targeted hits, including the suspension of players.

“The presidents formed the committee, because they were deeply concerned that concussions are a significant injury in football,” Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris said, “and wanted the Ivy League to take an active leadership role in developing steps and measures to limit concussions, first in football and then in other sports as appropriate.”

The New York Times first reported the story Wednesday.

After a career filled with dominant moments and frustrating injuries, Kris Jenkins decided his body had been through enough.

Jenkins announced his retirement on his Facebook page after his last two seasons with the New York Jets were cut short by serious knee injuries.

Jenkins, who will be 32 on Aug. 3, was released by the Jets in a cost-cutting move in February, but he said at the time he still wanted to play.

“The mind is always willing to play, but my body deserves the rest,” Jenkins wrote.

Myra Kraft, the wife of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a philanthropist dedicated to numerous causes, died at 68. She died Wednesday morning after a battle with cancer, the NFL team said in a statement.

Myra Hiatt Kraft was an active and powerful force in her family’s foundation and served on the boards of varied community and charitable organizations. She managed the Robert and Myra Kraft Family Foundation and was president of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, which contributed millions of dollars to charities in the United States and Israel.

ETC.

PCL wipes out no-hitter

The Pacific Coast League nullified a no-hitter thrown by Omaha’s Luis Mendoza after changing a ninth-inning error to a double. The triple-A league said the Memphis Redbirds requested a review of the at-bat by Tyler Greene in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday at Memphis.

Greene hit a ball to deep left field that was misplayed by Omaha’s David Lough. Lough was given an error, but the official scorer changed it to a hit shortly after the game. An hour later, the play was again ruled an error.

The league said it awarded Greene a double after reviewing replays and speaking with officials who were at the game.

Paraguay advanced to the Copa America final by beating Venezuela in a penalty shootout at Mendoza, Argentina, after a 0-0 tie through extra time. Paraguay won the shootout, 5-3, and Sunday will face Uruguay, which beat Peru, 2-0, on Tuesday. … Dutch club AZ Alkmaar said it signed U.S. striker Jozy Altidore from Spain’s Villarreal to a four-year contract. No financial details were given.

Serena Williams will use her injury-protected No. 1 ranking to get into the U.S. Open field. She is ranked 172nd this week, and only the top 105 players are granted direct entry into the field for the year’s last major championship, which starts Aug. 29 in New York. But because Williams was sidelined for more than six months because of a series of health issues, she has the right to use her special ranking to enter up to eight tournaments, including one Grand Slam. … Top-seeded Gael Monfils of France defeated Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos, 6-4, 6-2, and advanced to the third round of the German Open at Hamburg.

The Ducks signed center Mark Bell to a one-year contract. He will earn $575,000 in the NHL and $105,000 in the American Hockey League. He spent the last two seasons in the Swiss League and last played in the NHL in 2007-08 with Toronto. … Veteran goaltender Patrick Lalime retired after playing for five teams across 12 seasons. Lalime, 37, played in 444 games and finished with a 200-174-48 record for Ottawa, Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Buffalo. … The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed forward Teddy Purcell to a two-year contract. Purcell appeared in 81 games last season, posting career highs with 17 goals, 34 assists and 51 points. Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik had hernia surgery and is expected to be ready for the start of the season.

A slow start hurt the U.S. men for the second match in a row at the FINA water polo world championships in Shanghai, and the Americans lost to Italy, 8-5, and fell to 0-2 in group play. Brian Alexander of Santa Ana led the U.S. with two goals, and Merrill Moses of Rancho Palos Verdes made six saves.

Beau Hossler overcame a rough start to the match-play portion of the U.S. Junior Amateur championships at Bremerton, Wash., and advanced to the second round. Hossler, a 16-year-old from Mission Viejo who qualified for the U.S. Open, beat Miller Capps of Denver, N.C., three and two, after losing the first four holes. … Danielle Kang of Thousand Oaks, the nation’s top-ranked amateur, won her opening match at the Women’s North & South Amateur Championship at Pinehurst, N.C., defeating Lori Beth Adams of Burlington, N.C., five and four. USC’s Lisa McCloskey, the event’s top-seeded player, and No. 4-seeded Tiffany Lua, a Rowland Heights native who plays for UCLA, also advanced.

Tulsa Shock rookie Liz Cambage was selected as the replacement for injured Sparks center Candace Parker on the Western Conference roster for the WNBA All-Star game Saturday at San Antonio.

Antonio Tarver stopped defending champion Danny Green in the ninth round at Sydney, winning the IBO cruiserweight world boxing title. Tarver, 42, improved to 29-6 with 20 knockouts. Green fell to 31-4 (27 KOs).

College pole vaulters will have to wear helmets starting next season as part of an NCAA rule change. Schools will be required to make sure that helmets are designed specifically for pole vaulting.