CHICAGO (AP) – Embattled Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano says he’d like to pitch again for Chicago and was simply frustrated when he told club personnel he wanted to retire after his most recent start.  In his first public comments since the team banished him following another meltdown, Zambrano told Comcast SportsNet Chicago
in a phone interview Monday that he wants “to keep pitching for the Cubs.”  Zambrano cleaned out his locker and talked about retiring after giving up five homers and being ejected from Friday night’s 10-4 loss to Atlanta following two inside pitches to Chipper Jones. He says he intended to be at the ballpark the next day, but his agent
Barry Praver told him not to “because we were in the middle of discussions with the union and the Cubs.”  The Cubs placed Zambrano on the disqualified list Saturday and
said the right-hander would receive no pay and have no part in team activities for 30 days after the latest in a long line of incidents.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State volleyball team is ranked No. 18 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll. The Cyclones are one of three Big 12 teams ranked in the top-20 of the poll, coming in behind No. 4 Texas and No. 16 Oklahoma.
Iowa State will play seven matches against teams ranked in the top-25. The Cyclones’ first test against a ranked opponent will be on Sept. 5 when the team travels to Gainesville, Fla. to play the No. 9 Florida Gators.
On Tuesday Sept. 13, Iowa State will face in-state rival No. 14 Northern Iowa, whom the Cyclones defeated in straight sets in 2010. The non-conference schedule ends with a trip to No. 5 Nebraska on Saturday Sept. 21. The Cyclones will play two matches apiece against Texas and Oklahoma during the Big 12 conference season.
The Cyclones return five starters from last year’s NCAA tournament team, including AVCA All-American honorable mention Jamie Straube.
Redshirt freshman Hannah Willms was named the preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and Straube and Alison Landwehr were selected to the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Iowa State also welcomes the nation’s 25th-ranked recruiting class.
AVCA Division I Coaches Top-25 Preseason Poll
1. Penn State (54)
2. Southern California (5)
3. California (1)
4. Texas
5. Nebraska
6. Stanford
7. Washington
8. Illinois
9. Florida
10. Hawai’i
11. UCLA
12. Minnesota
13. Purdue
14. Northern Iowa
15. Colorado State
16. Oklahoma
17. Duke
18. Iowa State
19. Dayton
20. San Diego
21. Ohio State
22. Long Beach State
23. Tulsa
24. Michigan
Tennessee
Others receiving votes and appearing on two or more ballots: Pepperdine, LSU, Oregon, Missouri, Florida State, Indiana, St. Mary’(Calif.), Louisville, Arizona, Kentucky, Cincinnati, Miami (Fla.), Clemson, Wichita State, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Cal Poly, Michigan State, Northwestern, Western Kentucky

AMES, Iowa – Home games against Iowa and Northern Iowa, along with contests against Big Ten foes Michigan and Penn State highlight the Iowa State women’s basketball non-conference schedule. The Cyclones will face three NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago before opening Big 12 play.
“This is without question the toughest schedule we have faced in my 17 years at Iowa State,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “The non-conference portion, as always, has the three instate games, which are always very tough. We also return the game to Michigan and add Penn State to the mix at the Nugget Classic. It will be a challenge, but we are looking forward to the competition.”
The Cyclones, who will play two exhibition contests and 11 regular-season non-conference games, open the season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 1 in an exhibition against Coe College. The Cyclones host Rockhurst (Mo.) in their final exhibition tune-up on Sunday, Nov. 6.
Iowa State kicks off the regular season and its 36th season in Hilton Coliseum on Friday, Nov. 11 against Houston Baptist.
The Cyclones will play the first part of a women’s and men’s doubleheader at Drake on Tuesday, Nov. 15 to open the road portion of the schedule.
Following a home showdown with Northern Arizona on Nov. 20, Iowa State heads west to the Nugget Classic in Reno, Nev. during the Thanksgiving holiday. Iowa State faces Penn State on Friday, Nov. 25 before playing either Butler or Nevada the following day.
Iowa State opens December with two more Big Ten foes. The Cyclones travel to Michigan on Sunday, Dec. 4 for a Big 12/Big Ten Challenge game. Then, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, Iowa State plays host to the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series matchup against Iowa at Hilton Coliseum.
Among the other games on the non-conference schedule are a home game against Northern Iowa (Dec. 20). Iowa State also hosts Buffalo, New Hampshire and New Jersey Institute of Technology in the Cyclone Challenge (Dec. 29-30). The Cyclones face New Hampshire in the first game of the tournament.
Please note that game times and dates are still subject to change. A complete schedule with tip-off times and television rights feeds will be available at a later date.
2011-12 Iowa State women’s basketball season tickets are on sale now starting at just $99. They can be ordered through the Iowa State Athletics Ticket Office by visiting cyclones.com or calling 1-888-478-2925. Single game tickets will go on sale at a later date.

2011-12 Iowa State Women’s Basketball Schedule
Nov. 1                   Exhibition (Coe College)
Nov. 6                   Exhibition (Rockhurst (Mo.)
Nov. 11                 Houston Baptist
Nov. 15                 at Drake
Nov. 20                 Northern Arizona
Nov. 25-26          Nugget Classic (Reno, Nev.)
Nov. 25                 vs. Penn State
Nov. 26                 vs. Butler or Nevada
Dec. 4                    at Michigan
Dec. 7                    Iowa (Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series)
Dec. 11                 Mississippi Valley State
Dec. 20                 Northern Iowa
Dec. 29-30           Cyclone Challenge (Ames, Iowa)
Dec. 29                 New Hampshire
Dec. 30                 New Jersey Institute of Technology or Buffalo
Jan. 4                     at Oklahoma
Jan. 7                     Baylor
Jan. 11                  at Kansas
Jan. 14                  Texas A&M
Jan. 18                  at Texas
Jan. 21                  Texas Tech
Jan. 25                  at Kansas State
Jan. 29                  at Texas A&M
Feb. 1                    Oklahoma State
Feb. 4                    Texas
Feb. 8                    at Missouri
Feb. 12                 at Texas Tech
Feb. 15                 Kansas
Feb. 18                 Oklahoma
Feb. 21                 Missouri
Feb. 25                 at Oklahoma State
Feb. 29                 Kansas State
March 3                at Baylor
March 7-10         Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships (Kansas City, Mo.)