The pressure is on this week for Stow resident Ben Curtis on the PGA Tour.

This week's tournament is the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. It's the last week for players to accumulate points in the FedEx Cup standings.

The Top 125 qualify for the FedEx Championship, which begin next week. Curtis is listed in 131st place, just above the cut line. To insure his place in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Curtis probably needs a Top Ten Finish.

Other pro golfers who are just outside the playoffs with one week to go include Ernie Els (#126) and Padraig Harrington (#130).  Tiger Woods (#129) is also just outside the playoffs. But, Woods is not in this week's field in Greensboro because of a prior commitment.

Curtis has made the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the last four seasons, but has not advanced past the first round.

With the 2011 volleyball season almost here, the Mid-American Conference released its preseason poll and All-MAC team on Tuesday. Senior middle blocker Tina Dimitrijevs represented Akron on the all-conference squad, while the Zips were picked to finish third in the East.

Dimitrijevs had a breakout season last year as she battled back from injury to lead the MAC in hitting percentage (.367) and make the All-MAC Second Team. As one of only two seniors on the 2011 squad, she will be one of the leaders on the floor for UA.

“Tina is a great athlete who has developed into a solid player,” said fourth-year head coach Ron Arenz. “She's made her place as an offensive force in our offense, and I expect her to have a tremendous senior season.”

Last year, Akron finished with a 15-17 overall record and a 7-9 mark in the league, good for second place in the MAC East. Those were the best records for the Zips since 2003.

Akron will kick off the 2011 campaign with a Blue & Gold scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 20 at James A. Rhodes Arena. The event begins at 2 p.m. ET, and admission is free to all fans.

MAC Preseason Poll

East
1. Ohio (11 first place votes)
2. Miami
3. Akron (1 first place vote)
4. Buffalo
5. Bowling Green
6. Kent State

West
1. Northern Illinois (7 first place votes)
2. Ball State (1 first place vote)
3. Western Michigan (3 first place votes)
4. Eastern Michigan
5. Central Michigan (1 first place vote)
6. Toledo

Regular Season Champion - Northern Illinois (5 votes)
Tournament Champion - Northern Illinois (5 votes)

East Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Tina Dimitrijevs, Akron
Paige Penrod, Bowling Green
Abby Niekamp, Buffalo
Cassie Farrell, Miami
Katie Post, Ohio
Lexie Hartnett, Ohio

West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
Kelsey Brandl, Ball State
Kaitlyn Schultz, Central Michigan
Rachel Iaquaniello, Eastern Michigan
Lauren Wicinski, Northern Illinois
Kristin Hoffman, Northern Illinois
Jessica Brown, Western Michigan

Monday was a big day for Browns' Montario Hardesty.

Yesterday Hardesty was on the practice field, in full pads. It was the first time for Hardesty on the field since August First. Since the beginning of training camp, Hardesty was working on the sidelines with an athletic trainer.

After practice, Hardesty said, “It was fun to get back out here and to start getting back to football mode and get things going again. I had fun.” Hardesty was asked if he felt like a rookie, he said “I don’t know if I feel like a rookie but I definitely had the jitters, just getting back out to practice and getting with the guys. I get the jitters before every practice and every game. It’s fun.”

Browns head coach Pat Shurmur said it was good to see Hardesty on the field. “It was good to see him out there," said Hardesty. "He made a couple nice runs. He caught the ball out of the backfield in some of the passing drills. He actually made a real nice catch. He was running away and the ball was a little behind him so he pinned it on his fanny and then brought it around. He did a good job. It was good seeing him out there. I think he enjoyed being back at practice. We’ll go in now and evaluate how he did and move forward.”

Shurmur said there will be times when both Peyton Hillis and Hardesty will play in the offensive backfield at the same time.

The University of Akron women’s soccer team has been selected to finish second in the Mid-American Conference East Division in the 2011 Preseason Coaches Poll, the conference office announced Monday.

The Zips collected 56 points in the voting – trailing Miami’s 68 points. Kent State (43), Ohio (40), Bowling Green (31) and Buffalo (14) rounded out the East Division. Toledo was selected as the favorite in the MAC West as well as the favorite to win the 2011 MAC Tournament.

Akron - 9-0-1 in MAC East play during the last two seasons - won the division in 2009 and finished just a point back of Miami in the 2010 standings. Coach Chris Pfau return nine starters from the 2010 side including leading scorer Rachel Phillip; fifth-year senior midfielder Jordan Clark; defenders Liz Cloutier and Kara Cooper; MAC All-Freshman Team selection Kelly DeNiro; and goalkeeper Jeny Wolbert.

The Zips open up the season with road tests at Michigan (Aug. 19) and Florida International (Aug. 27) before their home opener against Michigan State on Sept. 4 at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field.

Women's soccer season tickets (all general admission) are on sale now for $40. Tickets can be purchased through the Akron Athletics Ticket Office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Mondays through Fridays by either calling 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting the ticket window at InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the corner of E. Exchange and S. Union streets).

The Cleveland Indians have announed the signings of three players selected in the recent Amateur Player Draft.

The Indians tonight announced the signing of INF FRANCISCO LINDOR, the 8th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

The Clermont, Florida native hit.528 (28-53) during his senior season at Montverde (FL) Academy High School with 31 runs scored, 6HR, 13 RBI and 20 steals in 21 attempts. Fifteen (15) of his twenty-eight (28) hits went for extra bases. The switch-hitting shortstop was a Rawlings First Team All-American in 2011 and won the home run hitting contest at the Aflac All-American Game in August of 2010 in San Diego’s PETCO Park.
Lindor is 17 years old and was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico before moving to the Orlando, FL area when he was 12 years old. He is 5-11 and weighs 170 pounds. In 2009 he helped Under-16 Team USA to a gold medal in Taiwan by hitting .500 with three triples and six steals. Lindor was ranked as the 7th best prospect in the entire draft by both Baseball America (3rd highest position player) and Perfect Game.

The Tribe also announced the signing of RHP DILLON HOWARD, the Indians’ second round pick (67th overall) in the Draft.

Howard, 19, went 9-1 with a 0.31ERA (58.0IP, 19H, 2ER, 25BB, 115K) in 12 starts for Searcy High School in Searcy, Arkansas. The 6-4, 210-pound right handed pitcher was named the Arkansas high school Player of the Year by both Gatorade and MaxPreps. Last summer was named the MVP at the Connie Mack World Series while playing for the Midland Redskins. As a junior at Searcy HS he went 7-4 w/a 2.96ERA in 54.1 innings (92K) and concluded his high school career with an 18-8 record and 212 strikeouts.

Howard was ranked as the 31st best prospect entering the 2011 draft by Baseball America and 29th overall by Perfect Game.

The Indians also announced the signing of RHP Shawn Armstrong from East Carolina University.

He appeared in 19 games (six starts) posting a 3-1 record with a 4.63 ERA ... Struck out 50 with 22 walks in 44.2 innings ... Recorded lone quality start against Campbell (Mar. 1) allowing three runs (all earned) on four hits in six innings with four punch outs in first win of the season ... Fanned a career-best eight against Houston (Apr. 23) where he notched his second victory ... Struck out seven against Marshall (May 8) in his first relief win of the year ... Worked into the fifth inning in three of six starts ... Posted four or more strikeouts in four games ... Combined on three shutouts (Youngstown State/Feb. 20, Rutgers/Mar. 20 and Wake Forest/May 11) ... Allowed one hit or less in 7 of 13 relief appearances ... Listed as the No. 7 prospect by Perfect Game and No. 8 prospect by Baseball America in C-USA heading into redshirt sophomore season ... Career Notes: Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 33rd round (pick 992) in 2008 ... Preseason All-America selection out of high school by Louisville Slugger and Rawlings ... Career Numbers:: 4-3, 4.45 ERA, 95.0 IP, 43 games (11 starts), 97 Hs, 60 Rs, 47 ERs, 39 BBs and 95 Ks

Canton Police are asking for the public's help in finding the person responsible for a homicide that occurred during an alleged home invasion robbery Sunday afternoon. 

Police say 61-year old Melvin Hope received multiple gunshot wounds in his residence in the 23-hundred block of 11th Street Northwest.  Authorities transported Hope to Mercy Medical Center where he was pronounced dead shortly before 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon. 

Canton Police have not named any suspects and the investigation continues.

The Cleveland Browns were awarded defensive back Brett Johnson off waivers from Seattle, the team announced today.

Originally signed by Buffalo as an undrafted free agent in 2010, Johnson also spent time with Philadelphia and St. Louis before being released prior to the start of the regular season. He was signed to the Bills’ practice squad on December 22, where he remained for the rest of the 2010 season.

A four-year letterman at the University of California (2006-09), Johnson appeared in 49 games with 22 starts in his collegiate career, posting 107 tackles, three interceptions, eight passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick. A native of Henderson, Nevada, the 6-1, 194-pound Johnson attended Green Valley High School in Las Vegas.

He will wear uniform number 33.

Donnie Webb broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the ninth inning with an RBI sacrifice fly as the Akron Aeros avoided a three-game series sweep at the hands of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats winning the finale 2-1 Sunday at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium.

Left-handed pitcher Matt Packer recorded the win for the Aeros tossing eight innings, allowing one earned run on three hits, and striking out seven while walking one. Right-handed pitcher Tyler Sturdevant got the last three outs to earn the save.

Left-hander Frank Gailey allowed the Webb sacrifice fly and suffered the loss for the Fisher Cats (67-53) pitching two innings of relief, scattering two hits, walking one and striking out none.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when Raul Padron scored on a force out to give the Aeros (63-58) a 1-0 lead.

It remained 1-0 until the bottom of the seventh inning when Moises Sierra hit a solo home run to left field to tie the game 1-1.

Webb drove in Kyle Bellows with a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning to give the Aeros the win.

The Aeros are off on Monday and will begin a three-game home series against the Harrisburg Senators on Tuesday. Akron will give the ball to right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino, who is 6-0 with a 2.44 ERA in 2011. He will face fellow right-hander Shairon Martis, who is 7-4 with a 3.05 ERA this season. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.

Tuesday’s game will feature Animal-Palooza presented by Primary Pet Care of Stow. Bring your pet to Canal Park! We welcome furry friends of all shapes and sizes. The night's activities will support the Humane Society of Greater Akron.

Fox 8’s Dick Goddard will also be at Canal Park on Tuesday. His new book "Six Inches of Partly Cloudy" will be available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Humane Society of Greater Akron. Mr. Goddard will be tossing a ceremonial first pitch and then autographing copies of the book throughout the night.

Akron-Summit County Public Library Night will also highlight the festivities at Canal Park on Tuesday.

Finally, it is KRAFT Singles Tuesday Night Tickets. Buy 1 Ticket, Get 1 Free from KRAFT Singles with purchase. Bring your package wrapper to an Aeros game on Tuesday for a steal of a deal! Visit kraftsingles.com for more info! Exclusions apply.

Average retail gasoline prices in Akron have fallen 3.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.53/g yesterday.

This compares with the national average that has fallen 4.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.60/g, according to gasoline price website AkronGasPrices.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Akron during the past week, prices yesterday were 92.3 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 4.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 6.7 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 85.4 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

"After watching oil decline dramatically two weeks ago, prices rebounded some $12/bbl last week, which may severely limit relief at the gas pump," says Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst. "The smallest sliver of hope in the economy seems to make some market players forget the bigger issues this country faces. Last week, this situation led to buying spree in oil prices, something that I just don't see lasting," DeHaan adds.

Bond was set at half-a-million dollars in Barberton Muncipal Court this afternoon for New Franklin murder suspect, 27-year old Raul Benitez Maranon.Maranon, who was arraigned by video from the Summit County jail is charged with the Sunday afternoon shooting death of 61-year old Canton taxi driver Jerry Laury of Canton.

An attorney will be appointed for Maranon who faces an aggravated murder charge. He's due back in court August 17th.

The incident took place at an apartment complex at 5134 South Main Street shortly after 6 o'clock last night. Police say the cab driver, 61-year old Jerry Lauer of Canton, was shot multiple times.

New Franklin Police say they have arrested of New Franklin, following a verbal altercation.

New Franklin Police and the Summit County Medical Examiners Officer are investigating the insident.