Four More Recruits Illegally Contacted By Washington

The University of Washington has acknowledged that eight football recruits, instead of the four originally reported, were visited a week ago in violation of NCAA regulations.

Also, of those visited on Jan. 31, the five who signed letters of intent with the Huskies have been ruled ineligible by the university.

Jim Daves, Washington sports information director, said Friday that new coach Rick Neuheisel had forgotten to mention Jerome Stevens of Rio Mesa High at a news conference last week, when Neuheisel said four players had been improperly visited by Husky recruiters.

The other four players declared ineligible are Chris Massey of Valley View High; John Anderson, of Boyton Beach, Fla.; Domynic Shaw, of Oakland, and Clayton Hawthorne, of Victoria, Texas.

In addition, Washington compliance director Ralph Bayard said Friday that three other players were contacted during the quiet period for recruiting before the announcement of letters of intent. Bayard said they were Adam Wade of Valley View High, who signed with Colorado State; Kevin Mack of Rio Mesa High, who signed with Oregon; and Daniel Waldrop of Wilmington Banning High, who signed with Nebraska.

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Louisiana Tech hired offensive line coach Jack Bicknell III as its new coach. Bicknell, the son of former Boston College coach Jack Bicknell II, fills a vacancy created when Gary Crowton left to become the Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator. . . . Florida State Athletic Director Dave Hart said he would seek recourse from Auburn after the Tigers canceled this year’s opener with the Seminoles. Auburn chose to pay Florida State $500,000 rather than face the team coached by Bobby Bowden, father of ousted Tiger coach Terry Bowden.

Baseball

The Angels added another powerful bat to their lineup this week, but not by free agency or trade. Doctors cleared Todd Greene to catch this season, Manager Terry Collins said, providing the Angels a way to get his bat into their order.

Greene, 27, hit 40 home runs in the minor leagues in 1995 and, after the Angels traded Jim Leyritz in 1997, he hit nine in a month. The Angels projected him as their starting catcher in 1998, but lengthy recovery from off-season shoulder surgery limited him to 29 games, none at catcher.

The Angels used six catchers last season.

Greene cannot start if he cannot catch, barring a trade. Mo Vaughn will play first base, with Garret Anderson, Jim Edmonds, Darin Erstad and Tim Salmon expected to fill the designated hitter and outfield spots.

Saying “there is nothing more to do,” pitcher Dennis Martinez is retiring after 22 seasons in the major leagues.

Martinez, 44, finishes with a 245-193 career record, the most wins ever by a Latin American pitcher.

Tennis

Top-ranked Martina Hingis of Switzerland won the Pan Pacific Open title in Tokyo today, defeating Amanda Coetzer of South Africa, 6-2, 6-1.

Arnaud Clement, a 21-year-old Frenchman playing in the semifinals of a professional tournament for the first time, beat third-seeded countryman Cedric Pioline, 6-4, 6-2, at the Marseille Open. Clement will play countryman Fabrice Santoro, who beat Marc Rosset of Switzerland, 6-4, 6-4.

Jurisprudence

Oakland Raider defensive end Aundray Bruce was arrested by Atlanta police and charged with offering an undercover police officer $20 for oral sex.

Denver Bronco safety Tyrone Braxton has been cleared of accusations he exposed himself in a crowded nightclub, and awarded $8 in damages from the women who made the accusations.

A Denver jury found the four women who brought a lawsuit against Braxton guilty of outrageous conduct and awarded him $2 damages from each woman.

Miscellany

New England Patriot running back Robert Edwards, who injured his left knee in a flag football game on the beach in Honolulu, could sit out the 1999 season, according to the Boston Globe.

Austria’s Hermann Maier powered his way to victory in the men’s downhill in the World Alpine Ski Championships at Beaver Creek, Colo. . . . Texas scored seven unearned runs and won its second consecutive game over top-ranked USC, 9-8, in a baseball game at Austin, Texas. USC committed five errors. . . . UCLA defeated Georgia Tech, 12-3, giving baseball Coach Gary Adams his 800th victory. . . . Eli Fairfield had 21 kills to lead the No. 11 USC men’s volleyball team to a 15-11, 12-15, 15-13, 15-11 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation victory over No. 7 Stanford. . . . Top-ranked Stanford won the final event--the 400-yard freestyle relay--to defeat fourth-ranked USC, 124-117, in a Pacific 10 Conference men’s swimming meet at Stanford.

Bernard Hopkins retained his International Boxing Federation middleweight title, dominating Robert Allen until the bout was stopped in the seventh round at Washington. On the undercard, Sharmba Mitchell recovered from a low blow to retain his World Boxing Assn. super-lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Pedro Saiz.