NCAA Keeps Mississippi Off Host List

Mississippi universities can’t apply to stage NCAA championship events, such as men’s basketball tournament games, because of a recent vote to keep the Confederate symbol on the state flag.

“No predetermined sites will be awarded to Mississippi for the foreseeable future,” the NCAA said in a statement Friday.

The NCAA executive committee’s decision does not affect championship sites awarded based on competitive record or seeding, such as for baseball or tennis. The NCAA also restated its opposition to awarding future championship sites to areas where the Confederate flag “continues to have a prominent presence.”

State residents voted overwhelmingly to retain the 1894 state flag with its Confederate emblem April 17.

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An NCAA panel has recertified 24 bowl games and certified a new one, the New Orleans Bowl, which will pit the champion of the Sun Belt Conference against a Mountain West Conference opponent on Dec. 18.

Also, the former Aloha Bowl is now the San Francisco Bowl and will be played Dec. 30 at Pacific Bell Park. The Oahu Bowl is now the Seattle Bowl and will be played at Safeco Field on Jan. 2, 2002.

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Michael Hunt, an assistant at Georgia for four years, was named the new men’s basketball coach at Towson. . . . Cincinnati point guard Kenny Satterfield is giving up his final two years of eligibility to make himself eligible for the NBA draft.

Jurisprudence

A former assistant basketball coach at Indiana has filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages from Bob Knight and the university.

Ron Felling contends he was wrongfully fired by Knight in December 1999. Felling says he was dismissed after the former Hoosier coach eavesdropped on a telephone call between Felling and former assistant coach Dan Dakich.

During the phone conversation, Felling and Dakich were talking about a victory against Notre Dame. The lawsuit says Knight interrupted the conversation and told Felling he was fired. The coach overheard Felling say that Knight had been “ranting and raving to the team,” and that “to me, that just takes the fun out of winning,” the suit says.

Felling, who became an assistant coach at Indiana in 1985, says Knight forced Felling to accompany him to his office. Knight then berated Felling in front of other assistants and punched him in the chest, knocking him backward into a TV.

Penn State fullback Ricky Upton was charged in connection with a disturbance that followed the Nittany Lions’ elimination from the NCAA men’s basketball tournament March 24.

Miscellany

Stacy Dragila broke her world outdoor pole vault record, clearing 15 feet, 5 inches at Pocatello, Idaho.

The Olympic champion broke the mark of 15-2 1/4 she set last July in the U.S. Olympic trials in Sacramento. She set the indoor record of 15-5 in February, also in Pocatello.

Former Pro Bowl wide receiver Herman Moore of the Detroit Lions did not attend two mini-camp sessions, despite attending a team meeting the previous night. The Lions have asked Moore to take a pay cut this season to help clear salary-cap space. . . . Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter agreed to a one-year, $1.115-million tender offer from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brazilian driver Mauricio Gugelmin escaped serious injury in a wreck during practice for the Firestone Firehawk 600 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Gugelmin, who was wearing a HANS (Head and Neck Support) device, had precautionary X-rays of his neck. . . . Greg Ray won the 11th pole position of his career--extending his own Indy Racing League record--with a dominating performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ray circled the 1.54-mile track at 218.265 mph--more than 2 mph faster than Jeff Ward, who will start on the outside of the front row for today’s zMax 500.

Again dominating with his serve, 18-year-old Andy Roddick stormed past Fernando Meligeni of Brazil, 6-4, 6-4, to reach his first career semifinal at the $400,000 Verizon Tennis Challenge at Duluth, Ga. Roddick will play Stefan Koubek of Austria tonight. . . . Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero defeated countryman Felix Mantilla, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the quarterfinals of the Seat Godo Open at Barcelona, Spain. Also advancing were Thomas Enqvist of Sweden, Carlos Moya of Spain and Michel Kratochvil of Switzerland.

With Nigeria in danger of failing to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, Coach Jo Bonfrere was fired.

Passings

Hal Haig Prieste, America’s oldest Olympian who once stole the original Olympic flag and acted in the first Keystone Kops movies, has died at 104. Prieste won a bronze medal in platform diving at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics. (See story, B8).