Cotton Ruled Eligible to Play Next Season

Schea Cotton, the former high school star who failed to gain his NCAA eligibility the last two years, has been ruled eligible to play next season.

Cotton, 20, signed a letter of intent with Long Beach State as a senior at St. John Bosco High in November 1996, but enrolled at UCLA in the summer of ’97 before the NCAA ruled his SAT score invalid.

He signed another letter of intent with North Carolina State last spring after attending a prep school in Connecticut, but the NCAA again ruled him ineligible last summer.

The 6-foot-5 Cotton has led Long Beach City College to a 22-0 record and No. 1 ranking in California this season.

Linda Ziemke, coach of the Rhode Island women’s team, was suspended for two games and the school said her future with the team was in doubt after eight players quit the team the last two years.