Five martial artists from Butler County will compete in the 2006 International Legacy and Unity Championships in Las Vegas this weekend.

Master Robert Zang, head of the Young Brothers Tae Kwon-Do Institute in Cranberry Township, and his students, Michael Sybert, 16, of Valencia and George Shirk, 16, of Cranberry Township, will compete in sparring and patterns.

Also competing will be Master Tim Curci, instructor of Young Brothers' Butler school, and his student, Bill Crissman of Butler.

The three-day event, which starts today at the Alexis Hotel Resort, will include competitors from 10 countries. The event is being sponsored by the U.S. Tae Kwon Do Federation.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Stacey Hart was hired as the head women's field hockey and lacrosse coach at Slippery Rock University.Hart joins The Rock staff after leading St. Vincent College during its inaugural season of varsity field hockey in 2005. Before that, she was the coach at Greensburg Central Catholic.She is native of North Easton, Mass., and a graduate of Hartwick (N.Y.) College, and succeeds Sergio Gonzalez as SRU field hockey coach.In the spring, Hart will lead a lacrosse program that has competed on the club level since 1991.Students interested in joining one or both of the teams should call the athletic office at 724-738-2021.

The Washington Township Wildcats captured the QUADCO District 8 Cal Ripken Major League (A-Ball) championship title with a 15-1-1 record against teams from Parker, Perry Township, Clintonville, Knox and Tionesta.The Wildcats were made up of nine players and two alternates between the ages of 10 and 12.Team members include Randy Brown Jr. and Hayden Grasha of West Sunbury. Austin Huff and Aaron Shreve of Boyers, William Moore, Shane Scott and Richard Zedreck Jr. of Hilliards and Brian Shreve Jr. and Tyler Shreve of Parker. The two alternates are Colton Cumberland of Petrolia and Wyatt Everetts of Parker while Richard Zedreck Sr. was the manager and Randy Brown Sr. and Brian Shreve Sr. were the assistant coaches.Also, Brown, Moore, Aaron Shreve, Tyler Shreve and Zedreck were selected to play in the 2006 All-Star Game, which will be held in Parker.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University football players Mike Butterworth and Cory Lacek were both tapped for preseason All-America honors Monday by Don Hansen's Football Gazette.Lacek, a junior defensive end from North Hills High, led the PSAC and ranked fourth in the nation in quarterback sacks with 12. He also ranked fourth in the PSAC and 29th nationally in tackles for loss with 15.Both Butterworth, a junior offensive tackle from Northern Cambria, and Lacek earned first-team, all-PSAC honors in 2005.

GROVE CITY — Grove City College is establishing an Athletic Hall of Fame that will honor men and women who have achieved excellence in athletics or coaching at the college or who have made a significant impact on athletics at the college since it joined the NCAA in 1956.The inaugural class of inductees will be announced in August and inducted Feb. 17 during the basketball doubleheader with Thomas More College in the Grove City College Arena.Athletes who are nominated must have earned at least two varsity letters and must be out of college at least 10 before they can be considered.Nominated coaches must be retired from their sports.