Donation from Cingular adds to scholarship opportunities

 NCAA corporate champion Cingular Wireless is enhancing the Association's efforts to increase the numbers of and opportunities for women and ethnic minorities in intercollegiate athletics through a contribution to the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship Programs.

Cingular presented a check to the NCAA for $43,500 on June 1 during the opening ceremonies of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

The programs annually award 16 scholarships to ethnic minorities and 16 scholarships to women college graduates entering their first year of postgraduate studies in sports administration or related areas of study that will assist the candidates in achieving a career in intercollegiate athletics. Six scholarships -- three in each program -- are reserved for Division III students. The awards are valued at $6,000.

Cingular's one-time contribution will allow the NCAA to award an additional six scholarships during the 2005-06 academic year.

The goal of the Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship Programs is to increase the pool of and opportunities for qualified minority and females through postgraduate scholarships. Nearly $2.5 million has been awarded through the programs since they began in 1988. Applications are available after Labor Day.

NCAA national office ranks as Indiana 'keeper'

The NCAA national headquarters ranks highly among Indiana residents according to a recent study. A statewide poll by Indy Men's Magazine and Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick, a weekly business television program, ranked the NCAA national office among the top 25 organizations that residents of the state of Indiana want to keep.

The NCAA was fourth on the list of "Indiana's 25 Keepers: Keeping Good Company," behind pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Endowment and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The monthly magazine and the television show issued a statewide call for nominations in March and received more than 4,000 votes. The June edition of the magazine features profiles on each of the 25 companies and organizations. The TV show counted down the list of 25 in a special one-hour edition that aired earlier this month.

Inside Indiana Business creator and host Gerry Dick was impressed by the selections.

"These organizations deliver economic, cultural, educational and scientific benefits to our state. They not only represent Indiana's economic diversity, but also are a testament to what we've been, what we are and what we can be," Dick said.

This is the second year the magazine and television program have conducted the statewide opinion survey. Last year's list focused on identifying the 25 most important individuals in the state.

Georgia student-athletes think fast to save lives

Georgia starting senior offensive linemen Russ Tanner and Dennis Roland are used to being quick on their feet. The teammates put those skills to the ultimate test last month when they pulled four adults and a baby to safety after a fiery four-vehicle collision that left one person dead.

Tanner and Roland were traveling on U.S. Highway 441 in Georgia, following a white tractor trailer, when a pickup truck coming from the opposite direction swerved into their lane and sideswiped the tractor trailer. Both trucks lost control. The semi skidded across the two-lane road, crashed into a ditch and burst into flames. The pickup truck fishtailed around the semi and headed toward the vehicle occupied by Tanner and Roland. Tanner, who was driving, drove into a ditch in an attempt to avoid the oncoming vehicle, but was struck by the pickup.

A log truck, also traveling in the opposite direction from Tanner, slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting the other trailer, jackknifed, flipped on its side and also caught fire.

Tanner and Roland jumped out of their vehicle and swung into action. A woman handed a baby to Tanner from the driver's side window of the pickup that collided into them. After passing the child to Roland, Tanner pulled the woman and a man free while Roland called 911. Both student-athletes then dragged to safety another man and woman who had freed themselves from the burning white tractor trailer.

Intense flames surrounding the cab of the log truck ended hopes of rescuing the driver.

-- Compiled by Leilana McKindra

Number crunching

Looking back

 5 years ago

Here's what was making NCAA news in June 2000:

• Louisiana State University catcher Brad Cresse strokes a ninth-inning single to score Ryan Theriot with the winning run in the Tigers' come-from-behind 6-5 win over Stanford University in the championship game of the Men's College World Series. LSU entered its half of the eighth inning trailing, 5-2, but the Tigers tied the game with two home runs, including Jeremy Witten's two-run shot to left. Cresse had reached safely just once in his previous 12 at-bats before supplying the game-winning hit.

• Swimmer Cristina Teuscher of Columbia University-Barnard College receives the Honda-Broderick Cup as the female athlete of the year.

• The NCAA Women's Rowing Committee prepares for separate division championships to be conducted beginning in 2002. The group at its annual meeting also recommends that the three division championships be held at Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis.

• The Division I Football Issues Committee recommends that a presidential task force undertake a comprehensive study of college football. The recommendation is prompted in part by a legislative proposal stipulating that an institution would satisfy Division I-A football attendance requirements if it averages more than 17,000 in actual paid attendance for home games in the immediate four-year period. The proposal also would eliminate exceptions and waivers for attendance requirements.

• Two important figures in NCAA governance announce retirement plans. Christine Grant announces she will retire as director of women's athletics at the University of Iowa in August, and University of Nevada, Reno, President Joe Crowley says he will step down in December. Grant, a longtime advocate for the advancement of women's sports opportunities, holds a post on the Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet. Crowley served a term as NCAA president in 1993 and 1994 when that post was a membership position.