Sports Online:Browne Sanders named vice president

Former Buffalo admin. to oversee women’s hoops championships

Anucha Browne Sanders has been selected as the NCAA’s vice president of women’s basketball championships. In this role, Browne Sanders will set the strategic direction for, and oversee the operation and management of, the Division I, II and III women’s basketball championships.

Browne Sanders was previously the Buffalo senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, where she supervised men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, swimming, diving and rowing. She was also responsible for marketing and ticket sales efforts, corporate partnerships,  community relations, event presentation and operations for revenue sports.

“Anucha’s experience not only in basketball, but also in management – as well as her history as an NCAA student-athlete – brings a unique and valuable skill set to this important position,” said Mark Lewis, the NCAA executive vice president of championships and alliances. “Her credentials are impressive and I know that she will bring a clear vision of how to put on exciting championships and continue to grow women’s basketball.”

“It’s an exciting time for the game of women’s college basketball and I am thrilled and honored to have been selected for the challenge of leading the championships into the next phase of growth and development,” Browne Sanders said. “Basketball has provided me with numerous opportunities in my life and I hope to take that experience and build upon it as we enhance the student-athlete experience at all championship levels.”

Browne Sanders will be responsible for the NCAA’s relationship with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), will serve as the primary liaison to the Division I,  II and III women’s basketball committees and provide strategic oversight of the site-selection process for each championship.

“Anucha brings a wealth of experience to the NCAA and the membership. Her background in marketing at the NBA and collegiate level are strong assets that will enhance the growth of women’s basketball,” Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette McGlade said. “But more importantly, she is passionate about women’s basketball and understands its unique place of importance within the national landscape.”

During her tenure at Buffalo, Browne Sanders was instrumental in producing higher ticket, suite and sponsor revenues, as well as spearheading a new community service approach that enabled the Buffalo student-athletes to participate in a variety of impactful service initiatives.

Prior to her service at Buffalo, Browne Sanders was the senior vice president of marketing and business operations for the NBA’s New York Knicks.

In her collegiate career, Browne Sanders was a highly decorated women’s basketball student-athlete at Northwestern, earning all-Big Ten team honors three times and Big Ten Player of the Year twice. Browne Sanders holds the all-time conference records for scoring (2,307 points) and rebounds (951). In 1985, she led all Division I women’s basketball players in scoring average with 30.5 points per game. She was twice named as a Wade and Naismith Trophy Finalist and was a three-time member of the All Big Ten Conference and Women’s Sports Federation All-American teams. Browne Sanders was inducted into Northwestern’s Hall of Fame, and was also named as Northwestern University’s Athlete of the Century No. 4, Northwestern’s Athlete of the Decade and to the Big Ten Conference All Decade Team.

Browne Sanders is a board member of both the Black Coaches Association and the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators. She earned her master’s degree from Florida State.

“Women’s basketball has seen incredible growth through the years and we were looking for someone who could not only continue that positive movement, but also improve the game,” said Carolayne Henry, chair of the search committee and the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, as well as senior associate commissioner and SWA of the Mountain West Conference. “Anucha is a proven leader at understanding basketball at all levels of the game and was the best choice to continue the positive growth of the championship.”

Sports Online:Boise State still team to beat in MWC

Broncos eye another title before joining league’s mass transition

Sports Online:The Mountain West has lost three teams, gained three new ones. It will swap out two schools for two more next season. Four new coaches will take over this year.

With all that jumbling, of course the favorite to win the title won’t be around next season.

Boise State, despite losing six players to the NFL draft, is the overwhelming pick to win the conference title before it heads off to the Big East next year.

“I’m an honest guy; Boise State is the best team in the league,” San Diego State coach Rocky Long said. “It’s going to be tough for the rest of us to catch up and maybe beat them, but they’re not unbeatable. Now you take all the rest of us, put us all in a hat and flip it up and the first one to hit the ground is the winner, that’s the way I see the rest of us.”

TCU, last year’s Mountain West champion, is gone, off to the Big 12. BYU left the conference after the 2010 season and Utah bolted for the Pac-12 last year.The rest of them are what’s left after college football’s massive conference realignment.

Hawaii, Fresno State and Nevada will join the conference this year after leaving the WAC and two more teams, Utah State and San Jose State, will be on board in 2013, when Boise State and San Diego State are expected to leave for the Big East.

Yeah, it’s been a little tough to keep up with and this year’s race, despite the predictions of blue Bronco dominance, could be just as hard to figure.

“The first thing that jumps out at me is just a lot of true parity” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “When you try to analyze who’s got an upper leg on anybody, there’s truly a handful-plus teams that can do some very good things.”

AIR FORCE – Key players: LB Alex Means, QB Connor Dietz, RB Wes Cobb, RB Mike DeWitt, S Anthony Wooding Jr. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 2.

Notes: The Falcons don’t have many returning starters and will have to replace Tim Jefferson, who has more wins than any other academy quarterback, and two-time 1,000-yard rusher Asher Clark. … Dietz doesn’t pass as well as Jefferson did, which will make Air Force even more predictable. It may not matter, though; the Falcons’ scheme is hard to stop, ranking them among the nation’s top rushing teams pretty much every year since the 1980s. … Air Force was one of the worst teams at stopping the run and will have a new defensive coordinator in Charlton Warren and numerous new starters.

BOISE STATE – Key players: WR Matt Miller, RB D.J. Harper, TE Gabe Linehan, T Charles Leno Jr., G Joe Kellogg, CB Jamar Taylor, CB Jerrell Gavins. Returning starters: 5 offense, 3 defense.

Notes: The Broncos have some big holes to fill in replacing QB Kellen Moore and RB Doug Martin, but return most of their offensive line and have a solid group of receivers, led by Miller. … Taylor and Gavins make up one of the conference’s best cornerback tandems, anchoring a defense without much experience. … The Broncos have been hurt by missed kicks in the past and are still searching for someone who can consistently put the ball through the uprights. … Boise State has a difficult opening game, playing at Michigan State on Aug. 31.

COLORADO STATE — Key players: RB Chris Nwoke, QB Garrett Grayson, TE Crockett Gilmore, LB Shaquil Barrett, LB James Skelton, OL Weston Richburg. Returning starters: offense 4, defense 4.

Notes: New coach Jim McElwain gets his first shot at a head coaching job after serving as the offensive coordinator during Alabama’s national championship run last season. … Nwoke is the conference’s top returning rusher after running for 1,130 yards and nine TDs last season. … Nordly Capi, the 2011 Mountain West sacks leader, and LB Mike Orakpo, the team’s leading tackler, were kicked off the team in the spring after being charged with disorderly conduct following an off-campus brawl in April. … Pass protection and run defense are the Rams’ two biggest areas of concern.

FRESNO STATE – Key players: RB Robbie Rouse, QB Derek Carr, WR Rashad Evans, LB Travis Brown, LB Patrick Su’a, S Phillip Thomas. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 4.

Notes: Fresno State should have a different look offensively under new coach Tim DeRuyter, who will switch the Bulldogs from their pro-style scheme to a no-huddle spread. … Carr, whose older brother, David, plays for the New York Giants, is one of the conference’s top NFL prospects after throwing for more than 3,500 yards and 26 TDs last season. … Rouse gives the Bulldogs one of the conference’s best offensive tandems, adding more than 1,500 yards and 13 TDs on the ground a year ago. … Fresno State’s conference title chances will likely hinge on road games against Boise State and Nevada.

HAWAII – Key players: WR Billy Ray Stutzman, RB Joey Iosefa, QB David Graves, LB Art Laurel, LB John Hardy-Tuliau, DL Paipai Falematu. Returning starters: offense 6, defense 4.

Notes: Norm Chow could have a tough first season in his return to the islands. A three-time national champion as an assistant coach, Chow got his coaching start at a Hawaii high school, but faces a rebuilding project with the Warriors in their move to a much tougher conference. … Graves was the front-runner to take over for Bryant Moniz, but wasn’t always sharp in the spring, opening up a chance for transfers Jeremy Higgins and Sean Schroeder. … Chow is known for his offensive schemes, but has put an emphasis on creating more pressure defensively.

NEW MEXICO – Key players: QB B.R. Holbrook, WR Ty Kirk, RB Demarcus Rogers, LB Dallas Bollema, DL Reggie Ellis, DL Joseph Harris. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 5.

Notes: The Lobos have nowhere to go but up after going 3-33 the previous three seasons. Charged with turning the program around is Bob Davie, the former Notre Dame coach who hasn’t been on the sidelines since 2001. … Holbrook, a fifth-year senior, probably won’t face much competition for the starting job, but may have to make some adjustments as Davie and coordinator Bob DeBesse switch to a Pistol offense. … New Mexico is loaded with seniors, but doesn’t have much depth thanks to NCAA sanctions that reduced scholarships.

NEVADA – Key players: QB Cody Fajardo, WR Brandon Wimberly, DB Duke Williams, OL Chris Barker, T Jeff Nady, RB Stefphon Jefferson. Returning starters: offense 5, defense 5.

Notes: QB Cody Fajardo was the WAC freshman of the year after taking over for do-everything Colin Kaepernick last season, throwing for over 1,700 yards and six TDs despite battling injuries. … The Wolf Pack are thin at some of the skill positions, but have some talent back on the offensive line and are always among the nation’s offensive leaders. … Coach Chris Ault, in his 28th season with the Wolf Pack, signed a two-year contract extension during the offseason. … Nevada has played in a bowl seven consecutive seasons.

SAN DIEGO STATE — Key players: QB Ryan Katz, TE Gavin Escobar, DB Leon McFadden, WR Colin Lockett, RB Walter Kazee, DB Nat Berhe, OL Alec Johnson. Returning starters: offense 5, defense 5.

Notes: The loss of Ryan Lindley, the school’s all-time pass leader, should have been a big blow. Katz, a transfer from Oregon State, could soften it. … The Aztecs will likely spread the ball around on the ground after Ronnie Hillman, the school’s third all-time leading scorer, left for the NFL. … McFadden looks like a future pro, but San Diego State has some holes to fill up front and at linebacker. … The Aztecs had a solid first season under coach Rocky Long, winning eight games and just missing a win in the New Orleans Bowl.

UNLV – Key players: QB Nick Sherry, QB Caleb Herring, RB Tim Cornett, LB John Lotulelei, DE James Boyd. Returning starters: offense 3, defense 6.

Notes: The Rebels have won two games each of the past two seasons and appear to still be in rebuilding mode in coach Bobby Hauck’s third year. … UNLV has been one of the nation’s worst passing teams and has struggled defensively, too, ranking 105th out of 120 teams last season. … Herring was the starting QB last season, but is being pushed by Sherry. … Cornett is a hard runner who averaged 5.6 yards per carry last season. … Boyd made the switch from QB to DE in the spring and was dominant at times.

WYOMING — Key players: QB Brett Smith, WR Chris McNeill, OL Nick Carlson, WR Dominic Rufran, SS Luke Ruff, DL Mike Purcell. Returning starters: offense 6, defense 5.

Notes: Smith was superb as a true freshman last season. He is the top returning passer in the Mountain West after throwing for 2,622 yards with 20 TDs, and also added more than 700 yards and 10 TDs rushing. … Smith has a solid line in front of him and a decent receiving corps, but the Cowboys will need to generate a running game to keep teams off him. … Chris Tormey, a former head coach at Idaho and Nevada, takes over as defensive coordinator and is expected to use multiple formations to help the Cowboys slow teams down.

Sports Online:Middle Tennessee State promotes assistant McGuire to head coach

McGuire

Sports Online|MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee associate head coach Jim McGuire has been promoted to the head coaching position, as announced on Thursday by Director of Athletics Chris Massaro and President Sidney A. McPhee. McGuire has spent the last 20 years serving alongside former head coach Steve Peterson, who retired on July 5 after 25 seasons at the helm.

“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to serve as Middle Tennessee’s head coach,” McGuire said. “I would like to thank Chris Massaro and Dr. McPhee for giving me this opportunity. Throughout the process, I have been humbled by the outpouring of support from the entire Blue Raider baseball family. I look forward to getting started and building upon the tradition that (former coaches) John Stanford and Steve Peterson established.”

McGuire becomes just the third different Blue Raider coach since 1974, following John Stanford (1974-87) and Peterson (1988-2012). He is the 21st coach since the program began in 1913.

“We had a thorough process that allowed us to talk with some of the most accomplished baseball coaches in the country,” Massaro said. “We were able to develop an outstanding pool of candidates that were interested in this job, which is a testimony to the work of Coach (Steve) Peterson and Coach McGuire.

“From the beginning,I knew the great qualities of Coach McGuire, and he was able to demonstrate them further during the interview process. I am confident he will lead us to national prominence and a trip to Omaha. I am proud to announce him as our next coach.”

McPhee echoed Massaro’s praises for McGuire as the program’s next head coach.

“Jim McGuire is among the most knowledgeable and respected coaches in college baseball,” McPhee said. “He has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to help establish the winning tradition of the Blue Raiders, and I look forward to him taking our program to the next level.”

After eight years as an assistant under Peterson, McGuire was elevated following the 2000 season to associate head coach.

During his tenure,McGuire served as recruiting coordinator for the program and worked with the infielders and hitters. He also has taken an active role in coordinating evaluation visits with professional scouts as well as organizing baseball camps and the annual ‘Boro Bash summer tournament.

He helped Peterson with all three of the Blue Raiders’ major fundraisers the Grand Slam Fish Fry, the Groundhog Day Luncheon, and the Chuck Taylor Golf Tournament, and served as liaison for placing players on summer teams across the country.

After the Blue Raiders’ historical season in 2009, SEBaseball.com named McGuire the Sun Belt Assistant Coach of the Year for his work with the record-breaking offense.

Throughout his 20 years in Murfreesboro, McGuire has been a key ingredient in making Blue Raider baseball known throughout the country. He has been a part of 14 winning seasons,six trips to the NCAA Tournament, seven league championships, and five conference tournament titles. McGuire has helped mold 58 players who have been drafted by the pros and 98 first-team all-conference performers, including six conference players of the year and 10 All-Americans. The Blue Raiders are 626-520-1 during his tenure, a .546 winning percentage.

Before joining the Blue Raider staff in the summer of 1992, McGuire was head coach at Rend Lake (Ill.) Junior College from 1989 to 1992. During his stint there, he compiled a record of 220-116, a winning percentage of .655. During his four-year tenure, McGuire’s teams turned in four second-place finishes in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference. His 1992 squad was Section III champion and Region 24 runner-up.

McGuire served as assistant coach at Rend Lake from 1987 to 1988 and began his coaching career at Missouri-St. Louis in 1986.

McGuire’s playing career began at Illinois State before he transferred to Rend Lake CC. The final two years of his collegiate career were spent under the legendary Woody Hunt at Cumberland in Lebanon, Tenn.

The Belleville, Ill., native played baseball and basketball at Freeburg High School.

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Sports Online:Auburn RB Robinson sidelined while NCAA probes high school transcript

Sports Online|AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn freshman running back Jovon Robinson is being held out of practice while the NCAA investigates allegations that his high school transcript was falsified.

Athletic department spokesman Kirk Sampson said Friday that Robinson’s academic status is being reviewed.

Memphis City Schools said in a statement that NCAA officials contacted the school district Tuesday regarding allegations involving a former Wooddale High School athlete. The statement said schools superintendent Kriner Cash ordered an immediate investigation and that a school guidance counselor resigned after admitting to creating the fake transcript.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal first reported the allegations Friday.

The statement did not identify the counselor or the student.

“Know that the District has clear and strict policies and procedures regarding student transcripts,” the school district statement said. “Academic fraud is not and will not be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly and accordingly.”

Robinson was one of Auburn’s top prospects, and had a chance to contribute in a backfield trying to replace starter Mike Dyer. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder is easily the biggest of Auburn’s tailbacks and would bring a physical presence to the backfield if he’s eligible.

Messages left by The Associated Press at the school were not returned.

Emails sent to guidance counselors, head coach Keith Spann, assistant football coach Michael Collins and the school principal, Michael Kyle, were not returned.

A phone number listed for Spann was disconnected.

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Sports Online:UNC changes structure of AD’s staff

Moves made to expand management of 28 varsity sports

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – North Carolina has announced changes in responsibility for some athletic department’s staff members to expand the management of its 28 varsity sports.

Athletic director Bubba Cunningham announced the changes Thursday.

Cunningham selected senior associate AD Beth Miller and executive associate AD Larry Gallo as the school’s lead sports administrators.

Miller will oversee 13 sports, including cross country and men’s soccer. Gallo will supervise six, including baseball and women’s soccer. Four other senior associate ADs will oversee six sports.

Cunningham will be the primary administrator for football and men’s and women’s basketball.

Previously, the athletic director and Miller had been in charge of supervising all 28 sports.

Cunningham says the previous format worked well, as evidenced by the school’s history of success, but managing each program has grown more complex.

Sports Online:Duke’s Johansen tabbed U.S. coach

Blue Devils coach will be assisted by Stanford’s Rick Schavone

Duke head coach Drew Johansen has been a U.S. National Team coach for seven years.

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke diving coach Drew Johansen has been named head coach of the United States Diving team that will be competing at the upcoming Olympic Games in London.

“Any time you get to wear USA on your back, it invokes all kinds of new emotions — patriotic as well as being recognized as one of the best athletes in the land,” Johansen said. “The Olympic dream brings us all to the sport in one way or another. I’m looking forward to it.”

Johansen has been a U.S. National Team coach for seven years, and previously served as head coach of USA Diving’s 2011 World Championship squad in Shanghai. Under his tutelage, Duke’s Abby Johnston and Nick McCrory have established themselves among the elite divers in the country and have also achieved success on the international stage, with both qualifying for the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. McCrory is set to vie for medals in the men’s individual and synchronized 10-meter platform events in London, while Johnston will pair with Kelci Bryant in the women’s synchronized 3-meter competition.

“One of my philosophies as a coach is to follow the philosophy of Olympism, which is in the charter for the International Olympic committee,” Johansen said. “By definition, it’s the blending of sport with culture and education. And that really defines Duke in big way — the blending of sport with culture and education. So one of the reasons I came to Duke was that Duke’s mission and the Olympic mission are very similar.”

Johansen will be assisted in London by Stanford diving coach Rick Schavone, as well as six other additional and personal coaches.

The women’s 3-meter synchronized competition at the 2012 Olympic Games will be contested as a straight final with five rounds of dives on July 29, while the men’s 10-meter synchronized event — also a straight final with six rounds of diving — is slated for Monday, July 30. The men’s individual 10-meter platform competition will begin with a preliminary round on Friday, Aug. 10, followed by the semifinals and finals on Saturday, Aug. 11. All diving events will be held at the London Aquatics Centre. For more information about the Olympic diving events, visit

Rotary Lombardi watch list unveiled

Award given to the nation’s top college lineman or linebacker

HOUSTON – The Rotary Club of Houston on Monday announced the 43rd Annual Rotary Lombardi Award watch list. The Rotary Lombardi Award is given to the nation’s top college lineman or linebacker each year.

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to:

• Offensive or defensive end-to-end down linemen who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball
• Linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.

All candidates must be eligible to play college sports under the rules and regulations of the NCAA.

The candidates earned a place on the watch list by:

• Earning All-American honors last season
• Being named last season to their respective all-conference first team as determined by the conference’s head coaches
• Being projected to be an All-American or first team all-conference player for the coming season
• Nomination approved by the nominations committee

While the Watch List highlights those players who have already received national recognition, any Division IA player who meets the above requirements is eligible for consideration from the Rotary Lombardi Award Selection Committee. The committee is comprised of more than 500 members, including all past winners and finalists, all Division IA head coaches, and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

The Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List is a reference tool for the Selection Committee. It will be periodically revised until the first round of voting is completed. The first round of voting determines the 25 quarterfinalists for 2012. The second round of voting will determine the seven semi-finalists or “Seven Blocks of Granite.” The third round of voting will determine the four finalists from the “Seven Blocks of Granite”. The fourth and final round of voting will determine the winner of The 43rd Rotary Lombardi Award which will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012 at The Hobby Center in Houston, Texas.

Last year’s 2011 Rotary Lombardi Award winner, Luke Kuechly, was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the ninth overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Southern Ark. coach Biddle dies

Seven-year leader lost battle with cancer at age 56

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas University golf coach Leonard Biddle passed away Friday in his home after a long battle with cancer. Biddle had just completed his seventh year as the men’s and women’s golf coach at SAU.  He was 56 and born March 2, 1956 in Texarkana, Ark.

Biddle also served as the director for both the university’s wellness center in the Kathryn Smith-Brown HKR Annex and the intramural sports program until last year.

He arrived at Southern Arkansas in 1994 after a long military career in the U.S. Air Force, beginning work with the university physical plant before enrolling as a full-time student in 2000.  Biddle was a four-year member of the Mulerider golf team, leading the team in scoring his final two seasons. He was selected three times (2002-04) to the prestigious Gulf South Conference All-Academic team and was a four-time (2001-04) member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll.  Biddle received the Southern Arkansas Male Scholar-Athlete award in 2001-02, was named Outstanding Golf Athlete in 2003-04, while also being a nominee for the Auburn Smith award that year, and was honored with the Outstanding Student award for the School of Graduate Studies in 2004-05.

Biddle received his A.A.S. in fire science and technology in 2003 from Harold Washington (Ill.) College, his B.S.E. in health, kinesiology and recreation in 2004 and his M.Ed. in kinesiology in 2005, both from Southern Arkansas.

He took over the reins of the Mulerider golf program in 2005, overseeing the inclusion of the women’s team at the university that same year.  Biddle also served as the official scorebook keeper for the SAU men’s and women’s basketball teams for a number of years and worked as a member of the chain gang at home football games.

During the summers from 2002-11 he was the instructor for SAU’s Continuing Education class for golf for adults and children in the community. Biddle also volunteered as a line crewmember for the Magnolia High School Panthers football team for three years.

Prior to coming to Southern Arkansas, Biddle was a retired Master Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force where he served as a professional fire fighter for 20 years, traveling in Pakistan, England, Greece, Turkey, Crete and Germany.  He attended many rescue missions and initiated crew response for aircraft, structural and medical emergencies and was highly trained in rescue procedures.

He served eight years as Assistant Chief of Operations and acted as Fire Chief in his absence.  Biddle was trained in Technical Services, as well as Safety and Supply Officer and Deputy Fire Chief.

Biddle earned the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal in 1984, the U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal (first oak leaf cluster) in 1990, both the U.S. Air Force Achievement Medal and U.S. Air Force Meritorious Service Medal in 1994, and received many certificates of training diplomas during his established military career.

Biddle was an active member of the Magnolia Country Club since 1995 and enjoyed numerous friendships through golf competitions.

He is survived by his wife of 29 years, the former Petra Sonnen of Bitburg, Germany; his brothers, Norman and wife, Barbara, of El Dorado, Everett and wife, Terri, of Magnolia, Tom and wife, Carolyn, of Magnolia; and his sister, Mary and husband Richie Butler, of Magnolia; a host of friends and family members in England and Germany; and numerous nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends in Arkansas, California and across the country.

Biddle is preceded in death by his parents, Leonard Biddle of Hope, and Lois Lorraine Larson of Ferndale, California.

A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday at the First United Methodist Church in Magnolia.

In lieu of flowers and cards, memorial donations may be made to the Leonard Biddle Golf Endowment at Southern Arkansas University through the SAU Foundation, P.O. Box 9174, Magnolia, AR, 71754, or online at www.saufoundation.org by using the Make a Gift link.

Rinehart leaves NW Missouri St.

Former assistant coach Phelps named interim head coach

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State Director of Athletics Wren Baker hasannounced that Jessica Rinehart has stepped down as head volleyball coach and named Amy Phelps interim head coach.

“Coach Rinehart has been a valuable member of the Bearcat family and we will miss having her at Northwest,” Baker said. “She has done a great job re-energizing the volleyball program and we wish her the very best in her future endeavors.”

Rinehart, who is leaving to relocate closer to family, finished 29-32 in two seasons with the Bearcats and is 115-107 overall in her career as a head coach. In her first season at Northwest, she guided the Bearcats to their first ever NCAA tournament appearance in the South Central Regional.

“I’m grateful for my time at Northwest. Being a Bearcat is truly special,” Rinehart said. “I had two of the most enjoyable seasons of my coaching career leading these young women. I want to thank the University and community for their support and wish the best for coach [Amy] Phelps and the program moving forward.”

Phelps returned to Northwest last season as an assistant coach for the Bearcats after a six-year absence from Maryville. She spent the 2003 and ’04 season as a graduate assistant under head coach Lori Slight.

In her time at Northwest, Phelps has been the top recruiter and director for all Bearcat volleyball camps as well as working primarily with the setters and middle hitters.

“Amy Phelps is a bright, young, energetic coach who has been an important part of our program,” Baker said. “We appreciate her willingness to serve as interim head coach and lead our volleyball program.”

Prior to returning to Northwest, Phelps spent six seasons at Alaska-Fairbanks as an assistant coach during the 2005 and ’06 season before being elevated to associate head coach from 2007-’10. She helped coach 10 All-Conference honorees in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and 31 GNAC Academic All-Conference student-athletes. Under Phelps, the Nanooks also earned one GNAC Newcomer of the Year and one GNAC Freshman of the Year.

Her coaching career began in 2001 at her alma mater, Graceland University, where she assisted with both the men’s and women’s teams. In 2002 the Lady Jackets were Region V finalists and qualified for the NAIA national championships.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to step up and take over the Bearcat volleyball program,” Phelps said. “We are excited about the direction Northwest volleyball is headed and that is a credit to the foundation laid by coach Rinehart. We will continue building a successful program that will become a consistent threat in the MIAA and region.”

During her time as a player, Phelps earned first-team all-conference and all-region honors and was named an honorable mention NAIA All-American as well as an NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete. Her team won both the regular season and postseason titles in the Heart of America Conference and she served as a co-captain.

Big Ten, Pac-12 suspend agreement

Officials say football schedules too complex to make it work

The Big Ten and Pac-12 have scrapped plans to schedule games against each other in all sports, with Pac-12 officials saying there were too many complications with football schedules to pull it off.

The leagues announced Friday that they’ve suspended the scheduling plan that both agreed to in December, well before a four-team playoff set to begin in 2014 was approved by a committee of university presidents last month.

Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said the league recently learned from Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott that coordinating a non-conference football schedule for 24 teams across two leagues proved to be too difficult.

Delany said those complications included the Pac-12′s nine-game conference schedule and previous non-conference commitments. The Big Ten will move from an eight-game league slate to a nine-game schedule in 2017.

“A great effort was made by both conference staffs to create football schedules that would address the variety of complexities, but in the end, we were just not able to do so,” Delany said. “While everyone at the Big Ten is disappointed by the news, we look forward to continuing the historic partnership that we have with the Pac-12 and to working together on other matters in the future.”

Scott said the Pac-12 wants to keep playing nine league games while maintaining as much flexibility in out-of-conference scheduling as possible.

Scott says the two leagues will continue a close relationship, which includes their long-standing partnership with the Rose Bowl.

“After extensive deliberation and consultation with member institutions, television partners and others, the Pac-12 and Big Ten have decided not to pursue the previously announced plans for enhanced scheduling collaboration across all sports,” Scott said.

S.C. names Tanner athletic director

Longtime Gamecock baseball coach takes over Aug. 2

COLUMBIA, S.C.– University of South Carolina president Dr. Harris Pastides announced Friday that longtime Gamecock baseball coach Ray Tanner has been selected as the university’s new director of athletics. Tanner will begin his new duties on Aug. 2.

“Sometimes you can search the world over for the perfect candidate and at times you know you have the right leader within your organization,” said Dr. Pastides. “For USC, we knew we had the right person on our team already. When Coach Tanner approached me two years ago and sought more administrative responsibilities, I clearly knew that this was an individual who was seeking a way to lead; to take our great university to the next level,” noted Pastides. “Ray exemplifies all the qualities I am seeking in an Athletics Director: integrity, a winning attitude, a confident leader and manager and an individual who puts the well-being of our student-athletes above and beyond all other things.”

A dedicated community leader whose charitable organization has made a difference in many South Carolina families, a three-time National Coach of the Year and Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year, Tanner just completed his 16th year as head coach at the University of South Carolina. Tanner has established one of the premier programs in college baseball. He has led the Garnet & Black to two NCAA Division I baseball championships, a pair of national runner-up finishes, six College World Series appearances, three SEC championships, six SEC Eastern division titles, a SEC tournament crown and 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

Under the direction of Tanner, South Carolina’s postseason success from 2010-12 is arguably the greatest run in collegiate baseball history. In the three-year span, the Gamecocks established NCAA records with 22 consecutive postseason wins and 12 consecutive wins in the College World Series. The Gamecocks won the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 2010 and 2011 with a national runner-up finish in 2012. South Carolina’s 30-4 (.882) record over the past three seasons in the NCAA Tournament is the fifth best three-year postseason record in NCAA history.

In addition, the 2012 CWS trip marked the sixth time in 11 years that South Carolina had reached Omaha. No Division I baseball team has made more appearances than the Gamecocks during the last 11 seasons.

Tanner and the Gamecocks have created one of the top environments in college baseball at Carolina Stadium. After a successful run at Sarge Frye Field through 2008, the Gamecocks made the move to the new $36 million Carolina Stadium where college baseball has continued to grow. South Carolina’s total attendance of 295,389 in the 2012 season was second-highest in the nation. The average attendance of 7,574 also was a Carolina Stadium record, besting the previous mark of 7,431 in the 2011 season. The Gamecocks also set a record for sellouts in 2012 with 15 games at a capacity of 8,242 fans. In addition, South Carolina set a record for season tickets sold with a total of 5,580 sold in the preseason before the 2012 campaign.

Under Tanner’s leadership, South Carolina owns the longest current streak of NCAA Regional appearances among the 12 SEC schools with 13 consecutive trips to the tournament dating back to the 2000 season. In that span, Carolina has 10 NCAA Super Regional appearances (2000, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04, ’06, ’07, ’10, ’11, ’12). South Carolina is one of only two schools in the nation to make at least 10 NCAA Super Regionals in the last 13 years and one of only six schools in the country to have reached the NCAA Regionals every season from 2000 to the present.