NCAA Is Investigating Neuheisel’s Colorado Past

The NCAA is investigating University of Washington Coach Rick Neuheisel for potential recruiting violations during his tenure at the University of Colorado.

The NCAA alleged a number of violations from 1996 to ‘98, and claimed “a lack of institutional control” by Neuheisel and his recruiting staff, university spokeswoman Bobbi Barrow said Thursday.

The allegations included improper visits to 25 prospective athletes outside of appropriate contact periods. Seven recruits ended up playing for the Buffaloes.

The school also allegedly failed to recover athletic apparel provided for campus visit weekends and had inadequate equipment room monitoring.

Washington Athletic Director Barbara Hedges said Neuheisel was cooperating with the inquiry. The university said Neuheisel had no comment on the probe.

AT&T; Corp. is not renewing its contract as presenting sponsor of the annual Rose Bowl game, leaving the nation’s oldest bowl game to search for a new major corporate backer.

The USC football team looked considerably healthier Thursday with the return of cornerback Kevin Arbet and tailbacks Justin Fargas and Malaefou MacKenzie to spring practice. All three had missed last week. Coach Pete Carroll also said he continued to be impressed by the play of cornerback Darrell Rideaux.

Soccer

The U.S. men’s team announced a full-strength roster for Wednesday’s World Cup tuneup at Ireland, the first time this year all the top Americans will be together.

Eleven of the 18 players selected by Coach Bruce Arena are with European teams. Captain Claudio Reyna returns after missing the 4-2 loss at Germany because of a hamstring injury.

Galaxy forward Chris Albright is scheduled to undergo surgery today to repair a broken bone in his right foot and is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks.... Former Galaxy forward Luis Hernandez has been recalled to Mexico’s national team by Coach Javier Aguirre for a World Cup tuneup match against Bulgaria.... FIFA President Sepp Blatter suspended the work of a special audit committee probing the finances of soccer’s world governing body to investigate a confidentiality breach, said Chuck Blazer, a member of the panel.

Tennis

Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui came from behind to defeat countryman Mounir El Aarej, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals of the $381,000 Grand Prix Hassan II Open at Casablanca, Morocco.... Playing in a strong wind, Marat Safin defeated Adrian Voinea, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2, in the second round of the clay-court Estoril Open at Oerias, Portugal.... Venus Williams defeated Anastasia Myskina, 6-4, 7-6 (5), at the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Fla.

Miscellany

Junior bantamweight Jose Navarro, a South-Central Los Angeles native and 2000 U.S. Olympic boxing team member, scored a fourth-round knockout of Jose Adrian Cuevas (1-2) Thursday night in Bakersfield.... Filipino boxer Sonny Boco has a severe brain injury after being knocked out during a bout in Poipet, Thailand....

Mike Tyson hired former junior welterweight contender Ronnie Shields to train him for his June 8 championship fight against Lennox Lewis.... Florida Coach Billy Donovan agreed in principle to a two-year contract extension. The two years will be added to the $6 million, five-year deal Donovan signed in 2000.... Paul Thomas, who led the Cal Poly Pomona women’s team to its second consecutive Division II national championship this season, agreed to a three-year contract.

A memorial service for Bruce Dworshak, press operations chief of the Salt Lake City Olympics, who died earlier this week of colon cancer, will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at All Saints Church in Pasadena.

A memorial fund has been established in Dworshak’s name at the University of Oregon journalism school, from which he was a graduate. Donations can be made to O.U. Foundation/Bruce Dworshak, University of Oregon, P.O. Box 3346, Eugene, Ore., 97403-0346.