Hornets Pick Cowens as Coach

Former Boston Celtic center Dave Cowens was named coach of the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday after two weeks of negotiations.

Cowens, 47, a former NBA MVP and a key member of championship teams in his 10 years with Boston, had a reputation on the court as an overachiever.

“I had a good time when I played and I tried to play hard,” Cowens said. “Most of the guys I played with did the same thing. I expect my players to give a good effort and have a good attitude.”

An assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs since 1994, Cowens has some head coaching experience. He was player-coach of the Celtics during part of the 1978-79 season, going 27-41.

He will succeed Allan Bristow, who won more games than he lost in five seasons with the Hornets, but failed to lead the club to the upper echelons of the NBA.

“We will play with a lot of enthusiasm, because that’s what the fans come to see,” said Cowens. “Obviously, you can’t win them all. But you can play with gusto.”

Cowens said expect the Hornets to be aggressive next season.

“I think they’ll be tougher from a defensive standpoint. You have to play smart and intense, with no nonsense,” he said. “When you look at the teams still playing for the NBA championship you can see they are the best defensive teams.”

Auto Racing

Driver Alessandro Zampedri, injured in a crash on the last lap of the Indianapolis 500, was in fair condition after a second operation on both of his legs and feet.

His left foot was most severely injured, and doctors won’t know until Monday whether it can be saved, said Charlotte Hatfield, a spokeswoman for Indianapolis Methodist Hospital. His right foot was repaired during the three-hour surgery, she said.

Zampedri, Roberto Guerrero and Eliseo Salazar crashed in the fourth turn just as Sunday’s race ended. Guerrero was not hurt and Salazar was treated for a bruised right knee and released Sunday evening.

Times photographer Jayne Kamin-Oncea and staff writer Shav Glick won three first-place prizes in the annual contest conducted by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Assn.

Kamin-Oncea took a first in action color photography and another in people, black and white. Glick won in news writing for his story on the 1995 Daytona 500, “A Sterling Drive at Daytona.”

Soccer

Bruce Arena, the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer coach, has added two national team players, goalkeeper Kasey Keller and midfielder Claudio Reyna, to his roster for Saturday’s game against Ireland at Davidson, N.C. Keller and Reyna, along with defender Alexi Lalas, are expected to be the three overage players Arena is allowed. Olympic soccer is limited to players under 23, with three exceptions.

Los Angeles Galaxy goalkeeper Jorge Campos will be in goal for Mexico when it plays Japan today in Tokyo in the Kirin Cup. Campos will rejoin the Galaxy in Tampa Bay in time for Saturday’s game against the Mutiny.

Forward Eduardo Hurtado, the Galaxy’s leading scorer, will miss the match while on World Cup ’98 qualifying duty for Ecuador.

College Baseball

After losing its first game of round-robin play, Cal Lutheran advanced into today’s NCAA Division III championship game at Salem, Va., defeating William Paterson of New Jersey, and Bridgewater State of Massachusetts.

Cal Lutheran (34-13-1) will play William Paterson (38-5-1) in the title game.

The Kingsmen beat William Paterson, 3-2, in a game that was rescheduled because of rain Monday night. Junior Tom McGee had a two-run double and senior Andrew Barber gave up 10 hits and struck out seven to lead Cal Lutheran.

The Kingsmen then beat Bridgewater State in the semifinals, 3-1, on run-scoring singles by Eric Buben and Frank Maldonado. Junior Richard Bell gave up eight hits and struck out two for Cal Lutheran.

College Football

Michigan State tailback Duane Goulbourne was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after sitting out his senior season because of a broken leg.

Goulbourne led the Spartans in rushing in 1994 with 930 yards, but sat out all of last season, which was to have been his final year of eligibility.

Miscellany

A team of eight college presidents and athletic officials, including Milton Gordon, president of Cal State Fullerton, has been picked to help find a home for the NCAA. The organization’s lease on its current headquarters in a suburb of Kansas City, Mo., runs out in 2000. A decision is expected next spring.

Former Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier, sidelined by blood clots and snubbed in the NFL draft, has received an offer from the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Details were not revealed.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner, 36, said she has an Achilles’ tendon injury that may jeopardize her chance for an Olympic comeback. She has been training for the Atlanta Games in the 400 meters, but has tendinitis in her right leg and will undergo an MRI exam this week.