Conferences: The State University of New York at Albany and the State University of New York at Stony Brook have accepted invitations to become full members of the America East Conference, effective with the 2001-02 academic year. "America East members and Albany have similar missions," said Albany President Karen R. Hitchcock. "These institutions have high academic standards, operate their athletics departments with integrity and demonstrated quality, and value the student-athlete as a whole person. We look forward to a long and productive partnership." America East is in its 13th year of all-sports championship competition and sponsors 21 conference championships for men and women. The current America East membership includes Boston University; the University of Delaware; Drexel University; the University of Hartford; Hofstra University; the University of Maine, Orono; the University of New Hampshire; Northeastern University; Towson University; and the University of Vermont. Seventeen of Albany's 19 intercollegiate varsity teams will be immediately eligible for conference championships and NCAA postseason competition. Albany's football program will continue its association with the Northeast Conference, and is committed through 2002. Women's golf will compete as an independent. Stony Brook marked its acceptance into the league by changing its official name from State University of New York at Stony Brook to Stony Brook University. Nine Stony Brook women's programs and eight men's will participate in the America East. The exceptions are men's lacrosse, which competes in the ECAC Lacrosse Conference, and football, a member of the Northeast Conference. America East's expansion coincides with an agreement reached with its four departing schools. Hofstra, Delaware, Drexel and Towson announced in December they were leaving for the Colonial Athletic Association. Conference bylaws require a two-year waiting period before leaving and a $250,000 penalty for early departure. The agreement, though, allows the four schools to leave a year early -- following the 2001-02 seasons -- without paying the fee. The four schools still hold voting rights until they leave.

Milestones: When Ohio University defeated Northern Illinois, 91-63, January 23, it gave Bobcats coach Larry Hunter his 500th career victory. Hunter is 195-143 in 12 seasons at Ohio and 500-219 in 25 seasons as a college coach, including 13 at Wittenberg University ... Bradley University men's basketball head coach Jim Molinari achieved a pair of milestones with his team's 58-47 victory against the University of Northern Iowa January 31. Now in his 12th year as a collegiate head coach and his 10th year at Bradley, Molinari earned his 200th career victory with the win against the Panthers. Molinari also became just the fifth coach in Missouri Valley Conference history to record 100 regular-season victories against his conference rivals, joining Henry P. Iba (187), Oklahoma A&M University 1934-57; Eddie Hickey (163), Creighton University 1935-43 and Saint Louis University 1946-58; "Phog" Allen (126), University of Kansas 1907-09 and 1919-28; and Rich Herrin (111), University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale 1985-97 ... Davidson College men's basketball coach Bob McKillop became the school's all-time winningest basketball coach January 20 with a 68-60 victory over Virginia Military Institute. McKillop, now 177-155 for his career, surpassed former Davidson coach Lefty Driesell. "It's actually a relief to get this victory and move on with the rest of the season," said McKillop. "And with the presidential inauguration happening today, it will be easy to remember this special victory."