The NCAA News - Briefly in the News

June 23, 1997

So, it was big news in Dallas June 13 when Southern Methodist University revealed plans for a new stadium and all-sports center on the university's campus.

The new stadium will be called Gerald J. Ford Stadium (named for a Dallas-based businessman who provided a $20 million gift for the project), and it will be constructed on the existing Ownby Stadium grounds, with a completion target date of 2000.

"My goal was to provide a benefit to students by bringing Mustang football back to the Hilltop and providing an attractive venue for other university activities," Ford said.

Seating 32,000, the stadium will have a horseshoe configuration with an open south end zone. The exterior appearance will be consistent with the Collegiate-Georgian architecture of the Southern Methodist campus.

It also will anchor the Mustang football program, which has had three home stadiums in the last two decades (the Cotton Bowl, Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium).

The all-sports center will be attached to the northeast corner of Ford Stadium and will be a three-story, 72,000-square-foot structure. It will provide offices and locker facilities for many men's and women's sports, a state-of-the-art weight room, a sports-medicine complex, and conference rooms and complete training facilities that will benefit the entire athletics program, including the university's expanded women's program.

Tough call

A story in the Cincinnati Post recently described a potentially difficult situation involving the prescription drug Ritalin.

The drug is the prescription of choice for individuals with attention-deficit disorder, and many of those affected say they cannot perform without the substance. But it is a stimulant and is therefore banned by the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. The NCAA also bans Ritalin, but provides medical exceptions.

Billie Marseilles-Berge, a pharmacist who takes calls on the Olympic drug-reference line, understands the concerns of the parents of affected athletes but is unyielding.

"The IOC isn't just dealing with Tommy All-American in Hometown USA, Nebraska," she said. "We're dealing with everyone from all over the world. You want healthy athletes, but you want an equal playing field. You also don't want people hurting their bodies in an attempt to win their sport."

A slamming success

Players from the Patriot League achieved a nifty double at the conclusion of the 1997 basketball season.

For the first time in league history, the Patriot League boasted both a men's and women's player on the first-team GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America teams. And, as it happened, both were 1997 league players of the year. That appears to be a unique accomplishment.

Colgate University center Adonal Foyle and Holy Cross center Kathy Courtney became the eighth and ninth players in the league's short history to be named to the Academic All-America team.

Foyle, who will pass up his senior season of eligibility to enter the National Basketball Association draft, is the league's all-time leader in blocked shots and rebounding. He also has maintained a 3.470 grade-point average in history.

Courtney ended her career as the league's career leader in rebounding, blocked shots and field-goal percentage and led Holy Cross to three straight 20-win seasons. She graduated with a 3.860 grade-point average as a mathematics and premedicine major.

-- Compiled by David Pickle

Milestones

Lamar University baseball coach Jim Gilligan won his 700th career game March 12. Gilligan, in 21 years as a head coach and 20 years at Lamar, has an overall record of 701-428.

Paul Benim, head baseball coach at Pennsylvania State University Erie, The Behrend College, picked up coaching win No. 100 with a victory March 27 over Oberlin College.

Allegheny College baseball coach Rick Creehan recorded the 350th win of his career when the Gators defeated Mount Union College March 27. The win brought his record to 350-153-1 in 13 seasons.

Tennessee Technological University baseball coach David Mays claimed his 500th career victory when the Golden Eagles defeated Southeast Missouri State University March 22. The victory came during his 24th season at Tennessee Tech.

The University of Pennsylvania baseball team gave longtime head coach Bob Seddon his 500th career win April 5. The victory brought Seddon, in his 27th season at Pennsylvania, to a record of 500-401-11.

Loyola Marymount University women's softball coach Gary Ferrin won his 100th game with a victory over Stanford University March 27. He became the first Lions softball coach to record 100 career wins and did it in only his third season at Loyola Marymount.

Belmont University baseball coach Dave Whitten notched his 650th career win April 13 as the Bruins swept a double-header from Indiana University/Purdue University-Indianapolis. Whitten has coached at Belmont for 29 years.