Tulsa coach is hired by Louisville

Louisville introduced Steve Kragthorpe as its new football coach Tuesday, less than 48 hours after Bobby Petrino left to become coach of the Atlanta Falcons.

Tulsa’s Kragthorpe and Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich agreed to a five-year, $1.1-million deal that runs through the 2012 season.

Louisville running back Michael Bush will give up his senior season of eligibility and make himself available for the NFL draft in April.

Arizona State tight end Zach Miller will give up his senior season of eligibility and make himself available for the NFL draft.

Rice extended Coach Todd Graham’s contract through 2012.

BASEBALL

Catcher Lopez agrees

to deal with Rockies

Former All-Star catcher Javy Lopez and the Colorado Rockies reached a preliminary agreement on a $750,000, one-year contract. Lopez’s salary would increase to $1 million if he is on the active 25-man roster, and he could earn $600,000 in performance bonuses.

Ken Griffey Jr.’s broken left hand should be fully healed before the Cincinnati Reds start spring training, his agent said.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Narbonne penalized for

using ineligible player

Sanctions levied against the Harbor City Narbonne girls’ basketball program for using an ineligible player will cost it three City Section championships, more than 70 victories from 2002 to 2006, and participation in this season’s playoffs. The player, Morghan Medlock, is now a freshman starter at USC.

Additionally, violations of district policy in the enrollment process of students resulted in the entire athletic program being put on two years’ probation while former coach James Anderson will be prohibited from coaching at the school until after the 2008-09 season. For more, go to latimes.com/preps.

MISCELLANY

CHRB releases figures

on racing fatalities

The California Horse Racing Board released its racing fatality figures for 2005-06, determining there were 147 racing fatalities and 94 training fatalities of horses at California tracks.

That’s down slightly from 2004-05, when there were 154 racing and 99 training fatalities. Overall, there were 317 fatalities reported from Nov. 7, 2005 to Nov. 9, 2006.

-- Eric Sondheimer

The CHRB will debate stricter penalties for use of illegal medications at its meeting Jan. 23, for the first time applying not only to trainers but to veterinarians and in some cases horse owners.

-- Robyn Norwood

The U.S. soccer team will play Guatemala in an exhibition March 28 in suburban Dallas as part of its preparation for regional tournaments. The U.S. team also will play Denmark in Carson on Jan. 20 and Mexico in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 7.

The all-star International Race of Champions will not run at Daytona Beach, Fla., next month because series officials have not secured sponsorship.

Men’s World Cup ski races scheduled for Jan. 20-21 at Chamonix, France, were canceled because of warm weather.

PASSINGS

Connors’ mother

dies at age 82

Former tennis pro Gloria Connors, who coached her son Jimmy Connors to multiple Grand Slam championships, has died at age 82 at her Belleville, Ill., home.

South African motorcyclist Elmer Symons, 29, died in a crash during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally near Ouarzazate, Morocco.