The NCAA News - Briefly in the News

June 7, 1999

Don Cook, director of athletics at Sacred Heart University, was honored recently for his contributions to intercollegiate athletics. His dedication to the state of Connecticut was recognized with the Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance.

Cook was recognized for his 40 years as an athletics administrator, baseball coach and student-athlete -- all at the col- legiate level in Connecticut.

Cook is completing his seventh year at Sacred Heart and his 28th year as a senior athletics administrator at a Connecticut institution.

Cook was the co-founder and first president of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (1981-82), he is a former president of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (1991-92), and he has also been a member of the NCAA Council (1996-97).

Under his leadership, Sacred Heart has expanded its intercollegiate athletics program from 12 varsity sports to 33 and constructed several new facilities, including the $17.5 million William H. Pitt Health & Recreation Center.

Cook also has been at the forefront of the Pioneers' move to NCAA Division I status. This fall, Sacred Heart will join the Northeast Conference.

He also has made a significant contribution at Fairfield University, his alma mater. Cook was instrumental in the development of the facilities and the athletics programs at Fairfield, where he oversaw the building of the Recreation Complex, the enlargement of Alumni Hall and the renovation of Alumni Field. Cook coached the Stags' baseball team for 19 seasons, transforming the program into a respected Division I entity. Fifteen of Cook's baseball players signed professional contracts.

During his six years as athletics director at the University of Hartford, Cook oversaw the building of an $11 million athletics complex as well as the program's emergence in Division I. And as the Hawks' interim baseball coach, he contributed to the development of Jeff Bagwell, now among Major League Baseball's finest hitters.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Cook was an outstanding catcher at Iona Prep, at Fairfield and then in the semi-pro ranks. In 1984, Cook was inducted into the Fairfield Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame.

He earned three degrees from Fairfield: a bachelor's degree in economics, a master's degree in counseling and a master's degree in corporate communications.

McDougall goes batty

Florida State University junior second baseman Marshall McDougall may have found instant fame after his recent display of incredible offensive skills. He broke NCAA records with six home runs and 16 RBIs as the Seminoles defeated the University of Maryland, College Park, 26-2, last month.

Newspapers, television stations and even the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, have been calling the Seminoles' sports information department since McDougall broke the five-homer record of Campbell College's Henry Rochell, set in 1985, as well as the 14-RBI record of the University of Louisville's Jim LaFountain, set in 1976.

McDougall was 7-for-7, finishing with 25 total bases against three pitchers, an Atlantic Coast Conference record.

"Luckily, we had people on base, so they couldn't walk me," McDougall said. "My teammates came through for me."

After an RBI single in the first inning, McDougall hit solo homers in the second and sixth innings as well as three-run homers in the fourth and seventh innings. He hit a grand-slam homer in the eighth, after which he thought he was done for the day. Then two freshmen singled in front of him. With two outs in the ninth, McDougall got one more chance -- and he made the most of it with another three-run homer.

McDougall entered the ACC tournament leading the league in batting average (.441), hits (104), home runs (23) and RBIs (89).

Comets out, Bears in

Concordia University, St. Paul, will mark its entrance into full membership in NCAA Division II this fall with a change of mascot.

Formerly the Comets, the teams will now be the Golden Bears -- a name that is perhaps more reflective of Minnesota, the institution's home state.

Over the past several months, a 21-member nickname selection committee had solicited and reviewed more than 100 suggestions.

"Golden Bears is a good fit for our athletics teams, said athletics director and nickname committee member Dan O'Brien. "It's a strong name that's appropriate for our state and our university."

Concordia will be working with design firms on the development of a logo and mascot this summer.

-- Compiled by Kay Hawes

Looking back

5 years ago: The NCAA Special Committee to Study a Division I-A Football Championship concludes that while merit exists for the concept of a playoff, the committee cannot at this time recommend specific legislation to the NCAA Presidents Commission and NCAA Council. Charles E. Young, chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles, and chair of the special committee, said the committee's "extensive discussions have brought up many complex issues and concerns that demand further consideration." Meanwhile, members of the College Football Association discuss a Division I-A commissioners' proposal that would create a "Division IV," which would give Division I-A institutions more autonomy over matters relating to football. (The NCAA News, June 8, 1994)

10 years ago: Arizona State's Phil Mickelson becomes the first freshman in seven years to win medalist honors at the Division I Men's Golf Championships in Edmond, Oklahoma. Mickelson entered the final round with a one-stroke lead and padded his winning margin to four shots over Arizona's Robert Gamez. Oklahoma won the team title by 19 strokes over Texas. (The NCAA News, June 14, 1989)

15 years ago: The NCAA Special Women's Basketball Rules Committee conducts its first meeting June 5-6. Established by the NCAA Council in January, the committee worked during its meeting to prepare a preliminary rules manuscripts and to develop a rules survey. The permanent committee is scheduled to meet in March. (The NCAA News, June 13, 1984)