Sports in Brief: Soul changing coach and staff

Mike Hohensee has resigned as head coach of the Soul, effective immediately, the Arena Football League team announced Wednesday.

In addition, the entire coaching staff was relieved of its duties. The Soul finished the 2011 season at 6-12.

"I enjoyed my time in Philadelphia," Hohensee said in a statement. "I appreciate the opportunity I was given by the Soul organization and wish them nothing but the best in the future. I was blessed to meet so many wonderfully loyal fans and to develop so many friendships in the community that I will always cherish."

COLLEGES: North Carolina has fired football coach Butch Davis.

The school issued a statement announcing Davis' dismissal nine days before the start of preseason practice.

Chancellor Holden Thorp said the decision was not prompted by any changes in the ongoing NCAA investigation into possible improper benefits and academic misconduct in the football program.

Rather, Thorp said he "lost confidence in our ability to come through this without harming the way people think of this institution."

Jake Kiley, a 6-foot-2, 173-pound defensive back from New Hampton (N.H.) School who can play several positions, gave an oral commitment to play his college football at Penn State.

SOCCER: Midfielder Vero Boquete scored in the 83d minute to give the Independence a 1-0 victory over the Boston Breakers in a Women's Professional Soccer game at Harvard Stadium.

Boquete placed her shot into the upper right corner from inside the 18 off an assist from Laura Del Rio.

The Independence are now 9-3-3 and are in sole possession of first place.

OLYMPICS: Freestyle skiing silver medalist Jeret "Speedy" Peterson was found dead Monday in a remote canyon in Utah in what police are calling a suicide.

SWIMMING: Michael Phelps took another small step toward next year's Olympics, and this time it was a winning one.

The two-time Olympic 200 butterfly champion went out fast, leading Japan's Takeshi Matsuda through the first 100 meters before Matsuda overtook him on the final turn. Phelps fought back, and surged ahead for good a few meters into the last lap.

BASEBALL: Boyertown outlasted Blackhawk, 4-3, in 10 innings in the Pennsylvania state American Legion tournament in West Lawn, Pa. Bristol beat West Lawn, 8-1. Boyertown and Bristol will play Thursday.

BASKETBALL: Jalen Rose was sentenced to 20 days in jail for a March drunken-driving crash near Detroit, despite a recommendation that the ESPN analyst and former NBA player not serve jail time and the public support of several prominent figures, including Detroit's mayor.

- Staff and wire reports