Facilities: Wichita State University has launched plans to fund and construct a new Multi-Purpose Center. The facility is part of Wichita State's Roundhouse Renaissance Capital Campaign. "It will aid us with facility conflicts, provide a better practice venue for basketball and volleyball and allow other sports such as baseball, softball and track to have an indoor practice facility. Facilities such as this have become popular with the new arenas that have been built throughout the country, and for good reason," said Jim Schaus, Wichita State director of athletics. Plans for the Multi-Purpose Center include two full-size basketball courts, and an equipment room that can be accessed from the the new locker rooms or the concourse, which are planned for the renovated arena. The Multi-Purpose Center also will be used for new student orientation/recruitment programs, graduation events and other special university events ... The University of Florida is about to begin renovating its skybox tower at Ben Griffin Hill Stadium. The project, scheduled to be completed in August 2003, will expand the press level with more than 200 working press seats and six television/radio booths. More than 2,900 chairback seats also will be added on a new club level, which will stretch along the entire west side of the stadium. The project is expected to cost about $50 million and will be funded by the University Athletic Association, Inc., with a bond that was approved by the State Board of Regents on February 15.

Conferences: Colonial Athletic Association Commissioner Thomas E. Yeager has announced that the University of Delaware, Drexel University, Hofstra University and Towson University will become CAA members, effective July 1, 2001. The quartet will partner with George Mason University; James Madison University; the University of North Carolina, Wilmington; Old Dominion University; Virginia Commonwealth University; and the College of William and Mary to form a 10-team conference. "We are thrilled to be able to expedite the process and incorporate these schools sooner than originally announced," said Yeager. Due to the timing of the transition, the four newcomers, who all currently are members of America East Conference, will remain as associate members and compete in America East in the fall of 2001 in men's and women's soccer, field hockey and volleyball. Beginning with the winter sports, including the 2001-02 basketball season, the four schools will compete as full CAA members, playing full CAA schedules. With their arrival, the CAA will add championships in men's lacrosse and softball in spring 2002, bringing the total number of sports sponsored by the conference to 20.

Sports sponsorship: Iowa State University has announced that at the end of the school year, it will discontinue its baseball and men's swimming programs. "This decision was made with great reluctance," Iowa State Athletics Director Bruce Van De Velde said. He also noted that the school would aid those athletes choosing to seek opportunities elsewhere and honor the scholarships of those who choose to remain. Budget concerns were cited as reasons for the decision. "I feel bad for the student-athletes and their families," said interim president Richard Seagrave, "but these are financial realities that are being faced by athletics departments across the country" ... Coppin State College has announced that it has discontinued its wrestling program. In recent years, the Eagles have not consistently fielded a full squad. Coppin State was one of three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schools with a wrestling program. The league dropped its championship tournament for the sport when Morgan State University disbanded its wrestling team in 1996.

Sponsorships: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has announced that it has entered into agreements with six conferences to sponsor a variety of varsity sports and conference championships. Through the sponsorships, Cooper becomes the official tire of the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Mountain West, Pacific-10 and Southeastern Conferences, and will provide support for individual sports and conference championship events. Among the sports and championships sponsored will be football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, track and field, soccer, swimming, field hockey, cross country, wrestling, gymnastics, tennis and golf. The multiyear program includes advertising, merchandising, promotional and media rights to each of the sponsored conferences, as well as selected hospitality and special-event packages for conference events and championships.

Milestones: University of Delaware softball coach B.J. Ferguson notched her 400th career win as Delaware swept an America East softball doubleheader from the University of Maine, Orono, 4-2 and 4-0. Ferguson, in her 21st season at Delaware, is the 36th active Division I coach to record 400 career wins. She is 400-346-3 in her tenure with the Blue Hens.

Miscellaneous: The University of Connecticut and Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) have signed a four-year contract extension, highlighted by CPTV's continuing involvement as the school's exclusive local market television broadcast partner for women's basketball. The agreement, which includes the 2000-01 academic year and runs through the 2003-04 academic year, calls for CPTV to televise a minimum of 68 Connecticut women's basketball games during the four-year contract period. In addition, CPTV could televise up to three Connecticut football games each of the next three seasons. CPTV also will expand its live production of Connecticut athletics events to include other varsity programs.