National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - Briefly in the News

December 23, 1996

Patriot says yes to basketball aid

The Patriot League has decided to permit its members to award athletics grants-in-aid in men's and women's basketball, beginning with the fall 1998 entering class.

The Division I conference currently has need-based financial aid policies for all sports.

The decision was made December 10 by the Council of Patriot League Presidents, which also agreed not to consider further changes in its financial policies for a five-year observation period.

"The Council's decision reflects its strong desire to preserve and strengthen the league as well as accommodate, to the extent possible, the needs of its member institutions," said William D. Adams, president of Bucknell University and chair of the council.

Conference members affected by the change are the United States Military Academy, Bucknell, Colgate University, the College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College, Lehigh University and the United States Naval Academy.

Streak shot down

The No. 2-ranked University of Kentucky rifle team recently ended a little-noted but highly impressive win streak.

When Kentucky defeated top-ranked West Virginia December 7, it was the first home loss in a dual meet for the Mountaineers since 1979, which is believed to be the longest home-winning streak ever in any college sport.

The Kentucky victory also ended a 32-match winning streak for West Virginia.

"Regardless of what happens in the winter or at the NCAA championships, this is something we can really be proud of," Wildcat coach Harry Mullins said. "This would have to be even greater than when we finished in the top three at the NCAA championships for the first time."

Kentucky took the match with an overall score of 6,178-6,170.

Long-range Gorilla

Pittsburg State University guard Jenni Miller recently became just the ninth player in the history of NCAA women's basketball to reach the 300 career three-point field goal plateau.

Miller, a 5-9 senior from Kearney, Missouri, reached the milestone in an 86-59 Gorilla victory against the University of Arkansas, Monticello, December 7 at the Southwest Baptist University Classic at Bolivar, Missouri.

Miller is on a pace to challenge the all-time NCAA women's record for career three-point field goals. She needs 66 more to pass Clarion University of Pennsylvania's Amy Coon, who made 365 three-pointers from 1991 to 1994. Miller has made her 300 treys in 90 career games, averaging 3.3 per game during her four-year career.

Steroid education works

Anabolic androgen steroid prevention programs can help student-athletes enhance healthy behaviors, lower their intent to use steroids and reduce factors that encourage steroid use, according to an article in a recent issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Linn Goldberg and colleagues from Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, tested an anabolic steroid educational program on 37 high-school football teams in the Portland area. A control group of 462 and a test group of 407 adolescents completed the study that assessed steroid-use risk factors; knowledge and attitude about steroids; sports nutrition and exercise knowledge and behaviors; and intentions to use steroids through self-report questionnaires.

The intervention consisted of 14 student sessions and one parent session. Seven weekly, 50-minute classes were taught by coaches and student team leaders. They addressed steroid effects, sports nutrition and strength-training alternatives, drug-refusal role play, and antisteroid media messages. An additional seven weight-room sessions were taught by research staff. Parents received written information and were invited to a discussion session.

The researchers wrote: "Students receiving the intervention were more likely to increase their strength-training practice in the school environment, despite similar equipment improvements in control and experimental weight rooms. This is important since local gyms are the greatest reported source for acquiring (steroids) in the United States.

"Importantly, many of these favorable changes, including a reduced intent to use (steroids), persisted at the long-term follow-up, despite students being away from the football team setting. The consistency between the school- and individual-level analyses and the results of the pilot program promotes confidence in the effectiveness of the program."

-- Compiled by David Pickle

Milestones

DePauw University men's soccer coach S. Page Cotton Jr. won the 250th match of his career October 26 with a 4-0 victory over Manchester College. Cotton has won all 250 during 28 seasons at DePauw. He is a seven-time Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference coach of the year.

T. J. Kostecky, director of athletics and head men's soccer coach at Pfeiffer University, achieved his 100th career victory this season as Pfeiffer defeated Elon College, 3-0, October 23. Kostecky joined the Pfeiffer staff in 1994 and became AD in 1995.

Youngstown State University head women's basketball coach Ed DiGregorio won his 200th collegiate coaching victory November 26 when his team defeated Wright State University, 85-67. Now in his 14th season at the helm of the Lady Penguin program, DiGregorio last season led his team to its first Mid-Continent Conference regular-season and tournament titles and its first appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Heidelberg College head men's basketball coach John Hill claimed his 300th career win with an 80-74 overtime decision over Ohio Northern University December 4. The win brought his record to 300-45.

Men's basketball coach Clint Bryant of Augusta State University notched his 100th win November 16 in a game against Allen University. Bryant serves as vice-chair of the NCAA Division II Management Council Transition Team.

Denison University head women's soccer coach Ted Barclay marked his 300th career victory in a 2-1 win over Oberlin College October 16. Barclay won 232 games as head men's soccer coach at Denison during a 25-year period spanning the 1960s, '70s and '80s. As Denison's head women's coach for the past three years, Barclay has earned a 47-28-3 record.

Carthage College men's basketball coach Bosko Djurickovic won his 200th career game with a 76-69 win over Mount Senario College December 9. Djurickovic has compiled a 200-82 record in 11 years. He led North Park College to Division III titles in 1985 and 1987.

The men's and women's basketball coaches at Bowling Green State University recently reached milestone victories. Women's coach Jaci Clark won her 100th game December 10 when the Falcons defeated Duquesne University, 74-66. Men's coach Jim Larranaga reached the 150-win level as his team defeated the University of Detroit Mercy, 85-77, November 26.