USA Cycling Overturned by Arbiter

Mary McConneloug of Fairfax, Calif., won her appeal Tuesday to be nominated to the Olympic women’s mountain biking team, overturning USA Cycling’s selection of Sue Haywood and ending a bizarre process that probably will be remembered more for confusion than accomplishment.

The arbiter ruled that USA Cycling’s decision to add 15 points to Haywood’s international total -- a decision that pushed her one point ahead of McConneloug in a yearlong battle for the lone women’s mountain start position allocated to the Americans for the Athens Games -- wasn’t justified.

The ruling is binding, and McConneloug’s name will formally be added to the official Olympic roster today.

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Football

USC may soon find out whether sophomore wide receiver Whitney Lewis, scheduled to be a starter this season, will be academically eligible. “We haven’t received anything formally on anyone,” Coach Pete Carroll said regarding Lewis, who needed to pass a class during USC’s first summer school session and is not enrolled in the second session, which began June 30.

“We don’t have to deal with any [academic rulings] yet ... I’m not confirming anything. It isn’t final, and that’s a fact.”

Tennessee has delayed a decision on releasing running back Eddie George despite his demand after rejecting the Titans’ last offer to reduce his pay from $4.25 million to $1.5 million for next season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed free-agent receiver Bill Schroeder and said that starting left guard Matt O’Dwyer might have to sit out the season because of a torn chest muscle.... The Cleveland Browns signed former Green Bay defensive end Jamal Reynolds to a two-year contract.

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Tennis

Michel Kratochvil beat Jan Vacek, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, and advanced to a second-round match against top-seeded Andy Roddick, the defending champion of the RCA Championships at Indianapolis.

Jan-Michael Gambill, who lost the first set, 6-4, to Jan Hernych, was trailing, 3-0, in the second set when he retired because of dizziness.

Carlos Moya beat Roko Karanusic, 6-4, 6-4, to begin his bid for a third consecutive Croatia Open title and fifth overall at Umag.

Three-time champion Albert Costa beat Werner Eschauer, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3, to reach the Generali Open’s third round at Kitzbuehel, Austria.

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NCAA

Under new rules designed to take the “celebrity” out of the recruiting race, colleges will no longer be able to fly recruits on private jets, house them in resort hotels or feed them extravagant meals.

The NCAA Management Council ended a two-day meeting in Baltimore and will forward the recommendations to the organization’s board of directors for emergency approval Aug. 5.

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Pro Hockey

The Boston Bruins re-signed star wing Sergei Samsonov to a one-year, $3.65-million contract.... Calgary winger Marcus Nilson, acquired from Florida in March, agreed to terms on a new contract with the Flames.... The New York Rangers agreed to terms with free-agent defenseman Jason Strudwick.... The Minnesota Wild re-signed defenseman Alex Henry to a one-year contract.

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Miscellany

Jennie Lee of Huntington Beach and Jane Park of Rancho Cucamonga tied for eighth at one-over-par 143 after two days of stroke play at the 56th U.S. Girls Junior golf championships at Mira Vista Golf Club at Fort Worth.

The top 64 advance to match play beginning today. Lee and Park will be joined by 10 other Southland qualifiers.

In the 57th U.S. Junior Amateur boys’ golf championship at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, defending champion Brian Harman of Savannah, Ga., took medalist honors with a seven-under 133 after two days of stroke play.

Lucas Lee shot a 71 to finish tied for fourth at 143.

The next-highest Southland qualifiers for match play, which begins today, were Seann Harlington of Rancho Mirage and Kyle Takesue of Cerritos at 148, Sihwan Kim of Fullerton at 149 and Rickie Fowler of Murrieta at 150.

Blair Dunlap, an outfielder from Santa Margarita High, has committed to UCLA.