I found your choice for the back page of the September 25 issue of The NCAA News both interesting and depressing.

On the left, you had a big picture and a story about a female soccer player who tied the record for assists in a 19-0 rout over another school. Right next to it, you placed information and a solicitation for NCAA Sportsperson of the Year nominees.

To me, a 19-0 "blowout" in a soccer match is not the type of sportsmanship the NCAA should encourage or publicize. Here's hoping that everyone who saw this issue doesn't get the wrong message.

Michael Smolens
Head Soccer Coach/Assistant Athletics Director
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Editor's note: The player who set the record was a freshman, was not trying to set the record in that game, and was competing against upperclassmen from an institution in the same division as hers. The NCAA News, by noting the player's achievements, was not suggesting that the result of the match indicated a lack of sportsmanship on the part of the victor.