AP Sports adds a supervisor and new writers in DC and Boston

NEW YORK (AP) The Associated Press has filled three positons crucial to sports coverage in the U.S.

Kyle Hightower, a news and sports reporter for the AP in Orlando, Florida, moves to Boston where he will cover sports in New England. Rebecca Miller, an editor at the AP's East Desk in Philadelphia, joins AP Sports in New York as a supervisor. Stephen Whyno, the national hockey writer for The Canadian Press, has been named an AP sports writer in Washington.

The appointments were announced Wednesday by Michael Giarrusso, AP's global sports editor.

''Whyno brings a history of great source reporting and multimedia skills. Hightower is a skilled reporter, who has shown an ability to get athletes and coaches to open up beyond the cliches,'' Giarrusso said. ''Miller is an experienced editor who will help AP Sports as we push to produce more multiformat content designed with mobile readers in mind.''

Hightower has spent the last four years covering news and sports in Florida, including the Orlando Magic and the University of Central Florida. He also led AP's coverage during the high-profile murder trials of George Zimmerman and Casey Anthony. A graduate of Western Kentucky University, Hightower previously worked at the Orlando Sentinel.

Miller previously worked in two AP state bureaus and as an editor on the National Desk and the Central Desk. She had roles in AP's coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing trial, the Fort Hood shootings and the murder case against Aaron Hernandez. She graduated from the University of Richmond.

Whyno has a record of breaking news and delivering investigative stories on multiple platforms at CP, where he has also been involved in video and social media management. Before joining CP, he was a Capitals and Redskins beat reporter for The Washington Times. Whyno graduated from the University of Maryland.