NCAA Tells Dayton It Must Pay Price For Its Violations

The NCAA put Dayton’s basketball program on three years’ probation Tuesday on violations that included loans a university trustee made to the father of a recruit.

The recruit, 6-foot-6 freshman Brooks Hall, helped lead the Flyers to the NCAA tournament this season.

The NCAA limited to 12 the scholarships it can offer for the 2001-02 academic year and to four the number of expenses-paid recruiting visits in 2000-01. Penalties could have included a ban on televised appearances and postseason play.

Coach Oliver Purnell said he didn’t think the sanctions will affect the competitiveness of the team, which was 22-9 and lost to Purdue, 62-61, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

“It’s not a happy day for the university, but we are glad that this chapter is behind us and now we can move forward while learning from this situation,” he said.

The NCAA said university trustee Clayton Mathile made personal loans totaling $32,000 to Chuck Hall, the father of Brooks, in August and September of 1998.

Olympics

A misdemeanor assault charge, which carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine, has been filed against Salt Lake Organizing Committee official Doug Arnot over an altercation he had with a pedestrian.

Arnot was alleged to have punched Richard Van Orden four times during a March 29 altercation in a crosswalk.

Ninian Stephen was appointed as a member of the International Olympic Committee’s ethics commission. Stephen fills the seat vacated by fellow Australian Kevan Gosper, an IOC vice president who resigned from the ethics panel last month amid accusations he accepted excessive hospitality from Salt Lake City bidders. . . . The United States will play Japan on the opening day of the Olympic baseball tournament in Sydney, setting up an early marquee matchup as pro players compete in the games for the first time. Former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda is expected by many major league officials to coach the U.S. Olympic baseball team. Because the games start in the middle of the pennant races, major league clubs won’t permit their stars to play in Sydney. . . . Organizers of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games have rejected a proposal by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch to advance the date of the summer games to accommodate professional soccer.

Pro Football

The Washington Redskins, who recently signed Jeff George and drafted Todd Husak to back up quarterback Brad Johnson, released 11-year veteran Rodney Peete. . . . Cal State Northridge wideout Aaron Arnold was one of 19 players agreeing to terms with the Tennessee Titans. . . . The Carolina Panthers released safety Brent Alexander to make room under the salary cap. . . . The New England Patriots unveiled plans for a $325 million, 68,000-seat stadium to open for the 2002 season.

Tennis

Defending champion and second-seeded Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, playing despite an ailing back, was beaten by Karol Kucera of Slovakia, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, in the first round of the Monte Carlo Open. Three other seeded players--Nicolas Lapentti, Marcelo Rios and Tommy Haas--were eliminated from the $2.6-million clay-court tournament. . . . Top-seeded Sylvia Plischke of Austria downed Els Callens of Belgium, 6-4, 6-3, and second-seeded Sarah Pitkowski of France beat Germany’s Greta Arn, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the second round of the Budapest Ladies Open. . . . Nine-time Wimbledon singles champion Martina Navratilova will briefly come out of retirement to play with Mariaan de Swardt in doubles at the Eastbourne, England, tournament in June.

Miscellany

The Boston Marathon has disqualified two able-bodied competitors for entering the wheelchair race. The names of the disqualified competitors were not released. Jean Driscoll won the women’s wheelchair race for the eighth time. Franz Nietlispach won the men’s race. . . . Dallas forward Jason Kreis was selected along with Colorado defender Marcelo Balboa and Columbus wing Brain West to join the U.S. roster for the April 26 exhibition soccer match at Russia. Kreis replaces Joe-Max Moore, who is recovering from an injury. Balboa replaces Eddie Pope and West replaces Ernie Stewart. . . . In nonconference baseball, Rob Garibaldi hit a three-run homer as USC defeated UCLA, 6-2, at Dedeaux Field.

Guard Robert Hutcherson signed a letter of intent to play basketball at USC, Coach Henry Bibby said. The 6-1 Hutcherson averaged 13.5 points and 7.2 assists at Okaloosa-Walton College in Niceville, Fla., and will be a redshirt sophomore. . . . The Pacific 10 Conference is investigating possible academic fraud involving two former California football players, Michael Ainsworth and Ronnie Davenport, who received credit for a class they allegedly didn’t attend until the final two weeks. . . . A preliminary hearing at Philadelphia was postponed for former IBF welterweight champion Meldrick Taylor, who was charged with attempted rape and indecent assault. Taylor was held on $500 bond.