New Mexico continues legislative trend to protect officials

Sports officials won a legal round in New Mexico recently as the state became the 15th to enact legislation protecting them from assault.

The law, which will take effect July 1, provides for penalties ranging from a misdemeanor charge to a second-degree felony charge if a weapon is used.

"The governor's decision to sign my bill will guarantee that our soccer fields, baseball diamonds and playgrounds never turn into battlegrounds," said Richard Romero, an Albuquerque Democrat, president pro tem of the state Senate and the primary sponsor of the measure.

The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) has been promoting such legislation na-
tionwide to stem the tide of assaults. Twelve other states currently are considering similar legislation.

NASO receives two to three reports a week of physical assaults against sports officials. The prevalence of such assaults is said to contribute to a nationwide decline in the number of officials.

"In recent years, we have seen a rash of brutal attacks against the men, women, boys and girls who officiate the games we play," said NASO President Barry Mano. "People need to understand that officials will make mistakes. They are human. But that doesn't mean you can take a bat and swing it at the official's head because you don't like the official's decision."

Pitching for records

Heather Brown, a junior pitcher for the Syracuse University softball team, tied the NCAA Division I record for strikeouts in a game of nine innings or less when she fanned 21 batters in the Orangewomen's nine-inning, 1-0 victory over Colgate University last month.

The NCAA record is 26 strikeouts in one game, accomplished in 1997 by Amy Kyler of Cleveland State University in 16 innings against the University of Illinois at Chicago. Michele Granger of the University of California, Berkeley, accomplished the feat in 1993 in 12 innings against the University of Oregon.

WAC history displayed at Hall of Fame

The College Football Hall of Fame recently unveiled an exhibit dedicated to the 40-year history of the Western Athletic Conference.

The display, which will be available for public viewing at the museum in South Bend, Indiana, until mid-October, features a variety of WAC memorabilia, including a Sports Illustrated magazine cover from 1970 featuring Terry Bradshaw, then quarterback at Louisiana Tech University (a new member of the WAC); a cowboy hat commemorating Southern Methodist University's share of the 1935 national title; and the 1967 Sun Bowl trophy from the University of Texas at El Paso's 14-7 win over the University of Mississippi.

The WAC was created in 1962 with six members: the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Utah and the University of Wyoming. The conference grew to 16 schools in 1996, becoming the nation's largest Division I-A football conference. Two years ago, the conference split in half, then added two more teams, bringing its current membership to 10.

WOTY applications due June 15

Applications for the 2001 NCAA Woman of the Year have been sent to member institutions. The NCAA award honors female senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their college careers in the areas of service and leadership, academic achievement and athletics excellence.

To be eligible, nominees must have participated in an NCAA-sponsored sport; competed and completed eligibility during the 2000-01 academic year; have a minimum grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale); and be a varsity letter-winner. Institutions may nominate two individuals if at least one is an ethnic minority. Applications are available online at www.ncaa.org/awards/woty.

-- Compiled by Kay Hawes

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