National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News Digest

February 15, 1999

Final Four Highlights on ESPN


Do you never get tired of seeing Magic Johnson and Larry Bird compete in the 1979 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Champion-ship? Or can you not get enough of Sheryl Swoopes' performance in 1993? Do you still get emotional over the buzzer-beating, national-championship winning shots by Charlotte Smith and Keith Smart?

If so, the following list is for you. Dust off those VCRs and note the following times when NCAA Men's and Women's Final Four highlights will be shown on ESPN and ESPN2:

Men's Final Four

Network Year Date Time

ESPN2 1988 February 18 2-2:30 p.m.

ESPN 1979 February 18 2:30-3 p.m.

ESPN 1989 February 18 3-3:30 p.m.

ESPN 1989 February 25 4-4:30 a.m.

ESPN2 1985 March 1 1-1:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1984 March 1 2-2:30 p.m.

ESPN 1994 March 1 4-4:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1979 March 2 2-2:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1975 March 2 2:30-3 p.m.

ESPN 1993 March 8 1:30-2 a.m.

ESPN 1981 March 9 2:30-3 p.m.

ESPN2 1990 March 10 1:30-2 p.m.

ESPN 1997 March 10 5-5:30 p.m.

ESPN 1992 March 15 1:30-2 a.m.

ESPN 1990 March 15 5-5:30 p.m.

ESPN 1987 March 16 1-1:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1993 March 16 1:30-2 p.m.

ESPN2 1989 March 18 2:30-3 p.m.

ESPN2 1983 March 23 1-1:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1986 March 23 1:30-2 p.m.

ESPN2 1987 March 23 2-2:30 p.m.

ESPN 1981 March 25 1:30-2 a.m.

ESPN 1998 March 27 3:30-4 p.m.

ESPN 1998 March 29 12:30-1 a.m.

ESPN2 1991 March 29 7:30-8 a.m.

ESPN2 1992 March 29 8-8:30 a.m.

ESPN2 1996 March 29 8:30-9 a.m.

ESPN2 1998 March 29 12:30-1 p.m.

ESPN 1982 March 29 3-3:30 p.m.

Women's Final Four

Network Year Date Time

ESPN2 1994 March 2 1-1:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1995 March 2 1:30-2 p.m.

ESPN2 1994 March 15 1-1:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1997 March 15 2-2:30 p.m.

ESPN2 1996 March 17 2-2:30 p.m.

ESPN 1994 March 17 3-3:30 p.m.

ESPN 1995 March 18 3:30-4 p.m.

ESPN 1996 March 22 5-5:30 p.m.

ESPN 1997 March 25 3-3:30 p.m.

ESPN 1998 March 25 3:30-4 p.m.

ESPN2 1995 March 26 1:30-2 p.m.

ESPN2 1996 March 26 2-2:30 p.m.

All Times Eastern

DIVISION I

Correction noted regarding override period

Commissioners of selected Division I conferences have been advised that the legislative override period was described incorrectly in a part of a Division I legislative report that was mailed January 22.

The override period for legislation approved by the Division I Board of Directors during its January meeting is March 15, 1999. Although that date is correctly described in the cover memorandum and on the first page of the proposed changes, the heading above the text of the legislation incorrectly states that the override period expires December 28.

Staff contact: David W. Schnase.

BASKETBALL

Working group receives reports from subcommittees

The Division I Working Group to Study Basketball Issues recently received reports from the seven subcommittees appointed to consider specific issues.

The seven subcommittees are studying recruiting, eligibility and financial aid, professional issues, gambling, student-athlete welfare, playing and practice seasons, and public relations. Final reports from the subcommittees are due in early May.

In addition, the working group heard from representatives of the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the National Basketball Association Players Association, the media and the National Basketball Association.

The next meeting of the working group will be April 5-6 in Chicago.

Staff contact: Thomas W. Jernstedt.

COMPLIANCE SEMINARS

Membership receives information on rules compliance seminars

The NCAA membership services group will conduct three regional seminars for NCAA Divisions I and II this spring.

The seminars will be conducted April 21-23 in Atlanta, May 5-7 in Indianapolis and May 19-21 in Newport Beach, California.

The seminars will provide information regarding NCAA legislation and interpretations, and assistance in establishing and maintaining institutional control of intercollegiate athletics programs. Information also will be furnished about the most common eligibility problems and rules violations that occur in athletics programs and the procedures for resolving those problems.

The NCAA recently mailed information about preregistration, on-site registration, the agenda, Compliance Assistant training, hotel reservations and the Guide to Rules Compliance to appropriate individuals throughout the Divisions I and II membership

Staff contacts: Jeaneen Layton.

INITIAL ELIGIBILITY

National video conference scheduled for February 23

The NCAA membership services staff will conduct a video conference from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central time February 23 for high-school administrators and coaches.

The conference will address issues high-school administrators face when assisting prospective student-athletes in the recruiting process. That includes issues related to initial eligibility and the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse process.

The satellite coordinates for the video conference are C Band Telstar 5 Transponder 17. The video conference can be accessed only by a steerable or moveable satellite dish, not DSS Primestar, USSB, Channel One, cable, DirecTV, Whittle Communications or other such services.

During the telecast, the call-in number for questions is 800/289-0437. Those who require assistance with satellite transmission may call the trouble-shoot numbers at 816/753-0020 or 816/753-6217.

Staff contacts: Carolayne Henry.

ALCOHOL EDUCATION

Applications solicited for CHOICES grants

The NCAA is offering a three-year, $30,000 grant to assist member institutions with their alcohol-education efforts.

Part of the NCAA's commitment to student-athlete welfare involves addressing the use of alcohol by college students who are under the legal drinking age and the misuse of alcohol by those students for whom alcohol is a legal substance.

All alcohol-education programs that have developed through CHOICES have used athletics events, athletes or related events to deliver the educational program to the entire cam-

pus. Many of these programs target the student body rather than providing programs solely for student-athletes.

Complete guidelines for the program can be obtained through NCAA Sports Sciences on the World Wide Web at ncaa.org/sports_sciences/education.

Those who are interested in the program can gain more information by calling 913/339-1906.

The deadline for submissions is February 19. Grants will be awarded May 7.

Staff contacts: Beth Binkley.

Alcohol Awareness Month to be observed in April

Alcohol Awareness Month this year will focus on binge drinking with the simple message that "Drinking Too Much Too Fast Can Kill You."

Alcohol Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) since 1987, will take place in April.

Every year, Alcohol Awareness Month encourages local communities to focus on America's most serious youth drug problem.

Staff contacts: Beth Binkley.