Ineligible Athlete Costs USC Pac-10 Men’s Track Title

USC lost its 2003 Pacific 10 Conference men’s track and field championship on Thursday after it was determined that the Trojans used an ineligible athlete during the league championship meet. After the Pac-10 took away the points the athlete earned in competition, USC fell behind new champion Oregon.

According to a Pac-10 release, the student-athlete, whose identity was not revealed because of student privacy laws, was ineligible to compete in the meet because of his failing to meet the minimum grade-point average. But the determination was not communicated to the student-athlete, the track coaches or the athletics department. The violation was self-reported by USC.

Paul Gutierrez

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Golf

Charles Howell III missed a chance for a share of the first-round lead in the Canadian Open at Hamilton, Canada, when he bogeyed the 18th hole, leaving him with a three-under 67, one stroke behind Hidemichi Tanaka.

Tanaka is a nine-time winner on the Japanese tour in his second full season on the PGA Tour.

Brad Faxon, Kelly Gibson, Tom Byrum and Glen Day were tied with Howell.

Canadian star Mike Weir opened with a 69.

Ernie Els shot a six-under-par 65 at the European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland, to share the first-round lead with defending champion Robert Karlsson of Sweden.

They were one stroke ahead of Eduardo Romero, Mark McNulty, Mark Farry, Henrik Bjornstad and Paul Eales.

Sergio Garcia and Michael Campbell were among 10 golfers two shots back in the first event of yearlong European qualifying for places on next year’s European Ryder Cup team.

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College Basketball

Guard Wesley Washington, Minnesota’s top freshman recruit, has not been admitted to the university and returned to his home in California, the school announced.

“He will not attend the University of Minnesota at least at this point,” Athletic Director Joel Maturi said.

Washington was a two-time Division II player of the year at Santa Ana Mater Dei. He signed a national letter of intent to play for the Gophers more than nine months ago.

The letter of intent will be voided and Washington will be allowed to find another school and immediately be eligible.

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Auto Racing

Tony Stewart passed Ted Musgrave for the lead with 16 laps to go and got his second consecutive NASCAR truck series victory at Richmond International Raceway at Richmond, Va.

Stewart, making only his third appearance in the series, started 27th in a field of 36.

“Those guys don’t make it easy on you by any means,” Stewart said after winning by less than a half-second. “If we had three or four more laps, I’m sure I was probably going to get moved out of the way and probably run second or third.”

Kevin Harvick will start on the pole in tonight’s Funai 250 NASCAR Busch Series race at Richmond, Va., after rain forced the field to be set based on car owner point standings.

Harvick, a former Busch Series champion, will lead the way in front of the top five contenders in the tightest points race in series history. Points leader Scott Riggs will start on the outside of the front row in his Ford with David Green’s Pontiac and Brian Vickers’ Chevrolet in the second row. The third row has Riggs’ teammate, Jason Keller, also in a Ford and Ron Hornaday in a Chevrolet. The five are separated by 79 points.

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Pro Basketball

Point guard Jacque Vaughn returned to Atlanta, signing with the Hawks after playing last season in Orlando.

Vaughn was with the Hawks during the 2001-02 season.

Last season, Vaughn averaged 5.9 points and 2.9 assists in 80 games for the Magic. He started 48 games.

Free-agent point guard Rafer Alston signed with the Miami Heat. Alston averaged 7.8 points, 4.1 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 47 games with Toronto last season.

Alston will help back up rookie Dwyane Wade, the Heat’s first-round draft pick, at the point. He will be part of a four-guard set with Caron Butler and Eddie Jones next season.

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Hockey

As expected, New York Ranger goaltender Mike Richter retired.

Richter, who will be 37 this month, spent 14 seasons with the Rangers, helping the team win its first Stanley Cup in 54 years in 1994.

“I’ve been fortunate to play my whole career in New York,” Richter said. “It’s a source of pride. I love that aspect of a player staying with any team, but in New York it’s special. You always believe in the colors of the team that you were drafted by, and being drafted by the Rangers and having your allegiance there, it’s great.”

Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman Robert Svehla retired, ending his nine-year NHL career.

Jere Lehtinen, the Selke Trophy winner last season as the NHL’s best defensive forward, signed a four-year contract with the Dallas Stars. Terms weren’t disclosed.

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Miscellany

Lance Armstrong and his wife are working on a divorce settlement after trying to reconcile during the summer in hopes of saving their five-year marriage.

The five-time Tour de France champion and his wife, Kristin, separated two weeks ago, soon after moving back to Austin, Texas, from Girona, Spain. They are staying in separate homes in Austin.