National Sports

CALGARY — Troy Ryan has been rewarded for his patience. He'll be the head coach of Canada's women's hockey team in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The 49-year-old from Spryfield, N.S.

Canadians Kyle Hiebert and Gloire Amanda have been named first-team all-Americans by the United Soccer Coaches. Hiebert, a Missouri State senior defender from La Salle, Man., was also a second-team selection in 2019.

ESPN could be rewarded with additional playoff games under its new deal with Major League Baseball. Walt Disney Company and MLB announced a seven-year extension of their rights agreement Thursday.

HAMILTON — CPL champion Forge FC has signed veteran defender Dejan Jakovic. The 35-year-old centre back will replace fellow Canadian international David Edgar, who retired at the end of last year and is now a Forge assistant coach.

Canada will open this summer's Gold Cup in Kansas City with games against Martinique, a qualifier and the United States. CONCACAF announced Thursday the schedule for its championship tournament, which features a new preliminary stage.

HALIFAX — A diversity task force says anti-racism training and greater diversity at the organization level will contribute to making hockey more inclusive in Nova Scotia.

ATLANTA (AP) — Bo Bichette hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the ninth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied yet again to beat Atlanta 8-4 on Thursday and sweep six games from the Braves this season. Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.

With the influx of several new players and Toronto FC's training room beginning to thin out, coach Chris Armas's options are growing. Fitting everyone in will be the challenge.

TORONTO — Lisa MacLeod, Ontario's Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, says the province hasn't verbally approved the CFL's return-to-play protocols and there's no timeline for it to do so.

PARMA, Italy — Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn from next week's event in Parma, Italy, with what the WTA Tour describes as "continuing illness.