Facilities: The University of Montana has opened its newly built Jacobson Academic Center for student-athletes. The center is an outcome of the school's remodeling of the Adams Center, Montana's sports arena. During the renovation, the media room in the old facility was turned into into a study area for student-athletes. A local businessman donated the funds, the computers, printer and furniture to make this area a reality. It officially opened in January 2000. The Montana Student-Athlete Advisory Board voiced a strong need for the center, which persuaded the athletics administration to include an area for an academic center in the renovation plans for the new arena.

Sports sponsorship: The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will add women's gymnastics for the 2002-03 season. "When we looked at all the possible sports, we found that gymnastics best suited the university," said Bev Lewis, director of women's athletics at Arkansas. Lewis said the decision to add an 11th varsity sport for women at Arkansas comes at the right time, both financially and philosophically. "We added three sports during the 1990s to expand opportunities for women at Arkansas. The time to address further opportunities was drawing near. At the same time, we will begin to receive new money from the university's television package with the Southeastern Conference. By moving now, we can add a sport without any negative impact on any men's or women's athletics program and without burdening the university." By adding gymnastics, Arkansas now offers varsity scholarships for every sport sponsored for females by the Arkansas Activities Association, the statewide organization responsible for administering high-school athletics. Lewis plans to hire a head coach in 2001. Plans also are for a practice facility to be built for the new team by 2002. A major fund-raising campaign is underway to support a $3 to $4 million expansion and renovation of Barnhill Arena.

Conferences: The Big South Conference has announced that Birmingham Southern College will join the league as a full member in fall 2003.

Milestones: St. John's University (New York) men's soccer coach Dave Masur won his 200th match September 2 with a 3-2 overtime victory over Wake Forest University in the championship game of the UConn Soccer Classic. With the win, Masur has a career record of 200-57-27 ... University of Delaware football coach Tubby Raymond coached his 400th career game in a 38-0 win over The Citadel September 9 in the Blue Hens' home opener at Delaware Stadium. The game was the first played under new permanent lights at Delaware Stadium. Raymond is now 286-111-3 in his 35th season at the Delaware helm. Another Delaware coach, women's soccer skipper Scott Grzenda, won his 100th career game in a 2-0 win over the University of Pennsylvania September 8 at Delaware Field. Grzenda is now 102-76-10 in his 11th season at Delaware. He is the only women's soccer coach in Delaware history.