ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have traded struggling reliever Mitchell Boggs to Colorado for the Rockies’ international signing bonus slot No. 4.

Boggs was 0-3 with an 11.05 ERA in 18 games for the Cardinals this season. He was demoted to Triple-A Memphis, where he went 0-2 with a 5.70 ERA in 18 games.

The 29-year-old right-hander went 13-15 with a 4.15 ERA in 232 games for St. Louis from 2008-13. He was a member of the Cardinals’ 2011 World Series championship team and went 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA in 78 relief appearances last year.

DENVER (AP) — Top draft pick Nathan MacKinnon has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche.

Executive vice president Joe Sakic hailed MacKinnon’s signing, saying Tuesday that “his presence will bring additional speed and talent to our team as well as a lot of excitement to our fans.”

MacKinnon was the first overall selection in the NHL draft last month. He’s the first player selected first overall by the Avalanche since the franchise moved from Quebec in 1995.

MacKinnon led the Halifax Mooseheads to their first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League title and their first Memorial Cup championship. He was named MVP of the Memorial Cup after collecting a tournament-best 13 points in just four games.

He was just the third 17-year-old drafted No. 1 overall in the last 26 years.

Kazan, Russia – Jordan Hooper scored four points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to help the USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team to a 101-61 win over the Czech Republic Tuesday.

Hooper, a 6-2 senior forward from Alliance, Neb., hit 2-of-5 shots from the field to help the United States improve to 2-0 in Pool B play at the 27th World University Games. Hooper saw 14 minutes of action in the 40-point victory, after scoring eight points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking two shots in a 120-32 win over Mali in the team’s opener on Monday.

The two-time All-American is averaging 5.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 15 minutes of action through two games in her first international appearances with the United States.

Hooper scored her first basket of the game off an assist from Ariel Massengale (Tennessee) to give the U.S. squad a 21-11 lead with 18 seconds left in the first quarter. The U.S. lead grew to 48-27 at halftime, thanks to eight straight points from Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (UConn) in the final 37 seconds of the half.

Mosqueda-Lewis, who scored 10 points in the final 2:21 of the first half, led five U.S. players in double figures with 19 points and six rebounds. Tricia Liston (Duke) added 14 points and six boards, while Odyssey Sims (Baylor) contributed 13 points and a team-high six assists. Aaryn Ellenberg (Oklahoma) pitched in 12 points and six rebounds, and Crystal Bradford (Central Michigan) rounded out the U.S. players in double figures with 11 points and a team-high matching seven boards.

Hooper added her second bucket of the game to open the scoring for the United States in the fourth quarter to put the U.S. team up 80-44 with 9:32 left.

The United States hit 39-of-78 (50 percent) of its shots from the field against the Czech Republic, including 7-of-24 three-pointers (29.2 percent). Team USA also knocked down 16-of-20 three-pointers (80 percent), while producing a 47-32 edge on the glass. The U.S. squad also forced 22 turnovers, while committing just 13 miscues in the game.

The Czech Republic managed to hit 24-of-62 shots from the field (38.7 percent), including just 4-of-17 (23.5 percent), while going 9-of-11 at the free throw line. Klara Pochobradska led the Czech Republic with 17 points, while Alena Hanusova added 12 points.

The USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team will complete Pool B play on Wednesday when they take on Brazil at 3:30 a.m. (central time). The team will enjoy an off day on Thursday to prepare for Friday’s quarterfinals.

Lincoln, Neb. – University of Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst announced today the hiring of Steve Waterfield as the Senior Associate Athletics Director – Performance and Strategic Research at the University of Nebraska effective August 5^th.

“I am extremely pleased that Steve will be joining our Senior Management Team at the University of Nebraska,” said Eichorst.  “He is a very talented, experienced and respected administrator who brings a great deal to the table.”

Waterfield will have the following primary duties and responsibilities:

·         Reports to Director of Athletics and serves on senior management team

·         Sport administrator for soccer, women’s and men’s tennis

·         Performance areas:

o   Athletic Medicine

o   Strength and Conditioning

o   Sports Nutrition

o   Lewis Training Table

·         Strategic Research & Analysis (i.e., NAPL, CB3, etc.)

·         Liaison to East Stadium Research Facility

·         Student-Athlete drug testing program

·         Student-Athlete health insurance

Waterfield joins Nebraska after two years as a senior administrator at the University of Miami.  While in Coral Gables, Waterfield oversaw sports medicine, athletic training, strength and conditioning and human resources, and served as the direct sport administrator for the football and men’s basketball programs.  Prior to Miami, Waterfield spent seven years at the University of Wisconsin, serving under Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez as an Associate Athletics Director for Student Services, overseeing compliance, academic services and sports medicine, and served as sport administrator for the men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs.  Waterfield came to Wisconsin after spending five years as an Assistant Director of Compliance at Ohio State University.

Waterfield holds a Law Degree and a Master’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Sports Management from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Kenyon College.  He is a member of the Ohio bar and U.S. Federal District Court and worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Ohio Attorney General’s office.

Steve and his wife, Jaime, have two sons, Davis and Austin.

The National Junior College Athletic Association awards student-athletes who excel in the classroom. Whitney Smith of the North Platte Community College Volleyball was added to the list of Award Winners. Her 3.82 GPA earns her the NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement. She joins Ben Wilson of the Men’s Basketball Team who earned the NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence and Tiffany Brasby of the Softball Team who earned the NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement earlier this month.

Over 1,600 NJCAA student-athletes met the requirements for individual academic honors, including 169 that earned the Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence (4.0 GPA). Superior Academic Achievement (3.8+ GPA) honors went to 592 student-athletes and over 900 met the standard for Exemplary Academic Achievement (3.6+ GPA).

This season, close to 60,000 student-athletes competed in the NJCAA across 3,500 teams in 28 different sports.

Smith of Wallace earned the NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement with her 3.82 GPA. The award is given to students who finish with a GPA between 3.80 to 3.99. Smith led the Lady Knights with 293 kills on the season.  Smith had a serving percentage of 89.9 percent and contributed 233 digs for the Lady Knights who finished with a 20-18 record.

LINCOLN, Neb. – The access permit application period for Gifford Point Wildlife Management Area (WMA) deer hunters is July 15-Aug. 15. As many as 200 permits will be issued.

Hunters must have at least one of the following valid deer permits to be eligible for an access permit: statewide archery, whitetail statewide buck, muzzleloader, youth or antlerless only Season Choice Wahoo.

The access permit allows the holder to take deer with archery equipment from Sept. 15 to Jan. 18 and with a muzzleloader fromDec. 1 to Jan. 18, as specified by the deer hunting permit. Successful applicants will be issued a key for the WMA’s access gate.

Deer hunters may apply as “buddies,” ensuring that both or neither will draw an access permit. Only two persons may apply as buddies and both applications must be submitted in the same envelope. A buddy permit does not allow party hunting. Each individual must harvest his or her own animal.

Vehicle access is limited to the rock road adjacent to the 8-foot high deer fence on Educational Service Unit property. Only foot access is allowed to the WMA’s interior.

Application forms are available at Nebraska Game and Parks Commission offices at Omaha, Lincoln, Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium and Schilling WMA. If more than 200 applications are received, a drawing will be held Aug. 20.

NEW YORK (AP) — Baltimore Orioles slugger Chris Davis, who leads the majors with 33 homers, will be one of eight participants in the Home Run Derby next Monday night during All-Star festivities at Citi Field.

Davis was chosen by American League captain Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees. They will be joined on the AL squad by Detroit Tigers bopper Prince Fielder, who won the event last year and in 2009, and a player to be named.

New York Mets star David Wright, the National League captain, selected 20-year-old Washington phenom Bryce Harper along with Colorado outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer.

Gonzalez has a National League leading 24 home runs and Cuddyer has 15.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A person with knowledge of the decision says the Denver Nuggets have agreed to separate sign-and-trade deals that will land them guard Randy Foye from the Utah Jazz and send swingman Andre Iguodala to the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors had planned to sign Iguodala to a four-year, $48 million deal as a free agent last week. Instead, the restructured deal will give Golden State more salary cap flexibility, deliver Denver a $9 million trade exception and hand Utah another draft pick.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press on Monday because teams are not allowed to confirm moves until the new league year begins Wednesday, says the original Warriors-Jazz deal remains intact.

The Warriors will clear more than $24 million by sending Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins and Brandon Rush to the Jazz along with the package of draft picks. Golden State is only taking back Kevin Murphy and his non-guaranteed $788,000 deal from Utah.

Yahoo Sports, which first reported the new deal, says Foye will sign a three-year contract worth $9 million.

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos director of player personnel Matt Russell is apologizing for his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.

State troopers say Russell was arrested Saturday after rear-ending a Breckenridge police officer’s SUV that had stopped on the shoulder of Colorado 9 to pull over Russell, who was suspected of driving drunk. Russell and the officer were taken to hospitals and released.

Town spokeswoman Brodie Boilard says Russell had been in a minor accident earlier Saturday, and the other driver called police after suspecting Russell was intoxicated.

Russell was arrested on charges of DUI, no proof of insurance, careless driving causing injury, and having an open container. He was freed on bond Sunday.

Russell apologized in a statement released Monday by the Broncos, who said the organization is “extremely disappointed.”

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Tyler Chatwood took a shutout into the seventh inning and the Colorado Rockies beat skidding San Diego 4-2 on Monday night, handing the Padres their 10th consecutive defeat.

Wilin Rosario hit a two-run double and Jonathan Herrera drove in a run with a bunt to help the Rockies end a three-game slide with their second victory in eight games. They have won nine of 11 against San Diego this season.

Chatwood (5-2) allowed two runs and five hits in a season-high 6 2-3 innings. He walked four and struck out three. The right-hander is 3-1 in five road starts this season with a 1.35 ERA.

Matt Belisle pitched a hitless eighth and Rafael Betancourt worked the ninth for his 12th save in 13 opportunities.

ROCKIES MOVES

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have placed pitcher Roy Oswalt on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.

To fill Oswalt’s roster spot Monday, the team recalled outfielder Charlie Blackmon from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Blackmon is in his second stint with the Rockies this year. He batted .240 (6 for 25) in 12 games earlier this season.

Oswalt is 0-4 with a 7.64 ERA in four starts with the Rockies since signing a $2.3 million, one-year contract on May 2.

The 35-year-old right-hander, a three-time All-Star with Houston and the 2005 NL championship series MVP, went 4-3 with a 5.80 ERA in 17 games for Texas last season, including nine starts.

He won 20 games for the Astros in 2004 and again in 2005.