Newsmakers

Appointed U.S. Soccer announced Friday that Jill Ellis will be the interim coach of the women’s team for the next two matches during the search for Pia Sundhage’s successor. Ellis, a former assistant to Sundhage, became development director for the U.S. women’s national teams in January 2011. She is not a candidate to replace Sundhage.

Clarified Former Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt says she retired on her own and never believed athletic director Dave Hart forced her to step down. Summitt issued a statement in response to the “misunderstandings” her signed affidavit created when she indicated that she had been forced out. She said “it was entirely my decision to step down” in April and that she never felt “forced out.”

Suspended Wake Forest suspended six football players, including four starters and the team’s second-leading rusher, for its game today at Maryland over a violation of team rules. Coach Jim Grobe said cornerback Merrill Noel, safety Daniel Mack, linebacker Mike Olson, guard Frank Souza, running back Deandre Martin and receiver Airyn Willis will be eligible to be reinstated for the team’s next game at Virginia on Oct. 20.

Departing The St. Louis Blues announced John Davidson, who spent six years rebuilding the team as president of hockey operations, is leaving. Davidson, 59, and the team agreed to a buyout of his contract, which had three years remaining.

Arrested Former NFL running back Larry Johnson was arrested at a Las Vegas Strip resort after an ex-girlfriend told police he choked her into unconsciousness and left her in her underwear in a hotel hallway. Johnson starred for the Kansas City Chiefs after being drafted from Penn State in the first round of the 2003 draft.

Selected Top high school basketball recruit Jabari Parker plans to make official visits to Duke, Florida, Michigan State, Stanford and Brigham Young. No other schools are in the running. All five were among the 10 schools Parker said during the summer he was considering.