Miami ? A University of Connecticut football player who was fatally stabbed outside a campus dance was looking forward to being a father and wanted to be a part of his daughter’s life, the grandfather of the unborn child said Sunday.

Family and friends of Jasper Howard filed through a small South Florida mortuary Sunday to pay their respects to the 20-year-old cornerback from Miami. Among them was David Nadal, the father of 18-year-old Daneisha Freeman, who is pregnant with Howard’s child. Howard was a “good kid” who would have been a wonderful father, Nadal said.

Auto racing

Hamlin cruises

Martinsville, Va. — Denny Hamlin didn’t need to do anything funny to exact his revenge from Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville Speedway. He just drove right by him.

And then he drove away with ease on three restarts over the final 52 laps, ending the three-time defending series champion’s remarkable run of five trips to Victory Lane in the previous six races at the shortest circuit in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.

Hamlin used an out-of-sequence pit stop after about 160 laps to move to the front, then held on up there until the entire leaderboard headed for pit road about 20 laps later.

MLB

McGwire re-joining Cards?

St. Louis — Cardinals manager Tony La Russa took a flight from his West Coast home to St. Louis on Sunday for further talks about his future. There was a report, too, Mark McGwire might join him as a coach.

La Russa told the Associated Press in a telephone interview before boarding a plane that discussions were ongoing.

The Cardinals scheduled a news conference this morning, but didn’t specify why.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on its Web site that the news conference would announce that La Russa had agreed to a 15th season.

The newspaper also said the manager was negotiating with McGwire to be the team’s batting coach.

Indians hire Acta

Cleveland — The Cleveland Indians hired Manny Acta to be their manager, giving him the job about three months after he was fired by the Washington Nationals.

Acta signed a three-year contract with a club option for 2013, Indians spokesman Bart Swain said Sunday. Additional terms were not disclosed.

Golf

Matteson wins in playoff

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Troy Matteson blew a chance to win the Frys.com Open in regulation by bogeying the 17th and 18th holes.

Playing the same holes in reverse order in a three-way playoff, Matteson recovered from his late collapse. He birdied the second extra hole to beat Jamie Lovemark and Rickie Fowler on Sunday at Grayhawk Golf Club for his second PGA Tour victory.

Every wins Nationwide

Charleston, S.C. — Matt Every won the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship on Sunday to earn a 2010 PGA Tour card with a 10th-place finish on the money list, closing with a 5-under 67 for a three-stroke victory over Michael Sim.

Blackmar prevails at AT&T

San Antonio, Texas — Phil Blackmar won his first Champions Tour title Sunday, birdieing five of his first six holes en route to a 7-under 64 and a one-stroke victory over Jay Haas, Tom Kite and Andy Bean in the AT&T Championship.

Jonzon wins at Castello

Castellon, Spain — Michael Jonzon shot a 4-under 67 on Sunday to win the Castello Masters, allowing him to keep his European Tour card for another year.

The 37-year-old Jonzon finished at 20 under at Club de Campo del Mediterraneo, one shot clear of German Martin Kaymer and fellow Swede Christian Nilsson.

Choi triumphs by 4 shots

Johor Bahru, Malaysia — South Korea’s K.J. Choi claimed a four-stroke victory in the Iskandar Johor Open.

Choi closed with a bogey-free 8-under 64 on Sunday to finish at 20-under 196 in the Asian Tour event shortened to 54 holes by heavy rain.

College basketball

Duke, UNC ACC favorites

Greensboro, N.C. — Defending national champion North Carolina and Duke are co-favorites to win the Atlantic Coast Conference this season.

The Tar Heels and Blue Devils shared first place in voting at Sunday’s ACC Operation Basketball, the first tie in the four-decade history of the preseason event.

Atlanta to host ACC in 2012

Greensboro, N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball tournament is headed back to Atlanta in a few years — but to a different venue. Commissioner John Swofford said Sunday the 2012 tournament will be played at Philips Arena, the 18,729-seat home of the NBA’s Hawks and NHL’s Thrashers. Last year’s event was held at the Georgia Dome.

Tennis

Baghdatis nets third title

Stockholm — Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus beat Olivier Rochus of Belgium, 6-1, 7-5, on Sunday, winning the Stockholm Open for his third career ATP Tour singles title just a week after learning he had gained the event’s main draw.

Youzhny, Schiavone win

Moscow — Mikhail Youzhny of Russia beat Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia and Francesca Schiavone of Italy defeated Olga Govortsova of Belarus to win Kremlin Cup titles on Sunday.

Hanescu advances

St. Petersburg, Russia — Second-seeded Victor Hanescu of Romania advanced to the second round of the St. Petersburg Open, beating Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia, 6-1, 6-2, on Sunday.

Bacsinszky bags first title

Luxembourg — Unseeded Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland won her first WTA Tour title, beating sixth-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany, 6-2, 7-5, in the Luxembourg Open final on Sunday.

Pollard retains position

Melbourne, Australia — Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard retained his position after fending off a challenge from former Australian Open tournament director Paul McNamee.