Sports sponsorship: Lewis & Clark College announced the suspension of the conference portion of its football team's 2005 schedule, citing safety concerns stemming from low numbers on the team roster. As a result, the squad is playing games on four consecutive weekends beginning September 17, against Occidental College, Colorado College, Chapman University and Claremont McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps Colleges, but will not play its Northwest Conference opponents this season. After several years of decline in the size of the team roster, this year's team has 34 players, school officials said. Lewis & Clark President Tom Hochstettler said the decision resulted from a recommendation from Athletics Director Steve Wallo and football coach Roger VanDeZande. "Our overriding concern must be to ensure the safety and well-being of all members of the Lewis & Clark community," said Hochstettler, who also announced the school will conduct a study of the football program to determine ways to resume safe and successful competition. Northwest Conference members responded with support for the school's action. "Conference members are concerned about the impact Lewis & Clark's decision will have on this season," said Commissioner Chuck Lindemenn. "But the overriding concern is how they could help Lewis & Clark get its program back on a solid footing." Lindemenn said some conference schools are exploring filling the open date in their schedules, while others will leave that date open. "Our conference has pledged whatever assistance we can provide," he said. "And we believe that once L&C has implemented the suggestions (resulting from its study), and with the potential renewal of Pacific University's football program in 2007, the NWC will be as healthy as it has ever been in football." ... Edgewood College announced plans to add men's and women's track, possibly by January 2006. The move will increase the school's intercollegiate teams to 14. "The addition of track for women and men creates more opportunities for intercollegiate competition for student-athletes at Edgewood College," said Athletics Director G. Steven Larson. "It is the next natural step for the intercollegiate athletics department to meet the recent growth in our enrollment and the impending change in our conference affiliation. Our goal is to start modestly and move forward with this program over the course of the next few years." Fourteen schools in the Lake Michigan Conference, which Edgewood has competed in since 1974, and the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference have declared their intent to merge into a new conference. Edgewood's new men's and women's teams will compete only in track events, possibly beginning with an indoor meet in January, but the school announced it likely will expand into field events in the future. Current Edgewood cross country coach Bethany Brewster, a former University of Wisconsin, Madison, all-American distance runner, also will coach the track teams ... Maryville University of St. Louis plans to add men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field this year. "Students have been requesting a track and field program, and we are pleased to be able to respond to the needs and interests of the entire student body by expanding our sports offerings," said Linda Anderson, Maryville director of athletics. "The addition of track and field is a great complement to our already successful cross country program, and we are confident that it will be an added attraction when recruiting prospective student-athletes." Cross country coach Gordon Reiter will coach the track and field teams, which will use track facilities at nearby high schools."

Milestones: Jean Lojko collected her 500th volleyball coaching victory September 10 when Greensboro College defeated Emory and Henry College to win the Alumnae Invitational.

Miscellaneous: The State University of College at Oneonta women's soccer team now holds the all-divisions record for consecutive conference victories by either a men's and women's soccer team. The Red Dragons broke the record of 72 straight wins held by the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, with its September 6 victory over a State University of New York Athletic Conference opponent. Oneonta State's 10-0 victory over State University of New York Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome also gave coach Tracey Ranieri her 200th career coaching victory in 15 seasons. The Red Dragons extended their SUNYAC streak to 75 games with wins September 16 against previously unbeaten State University College at Buffalo and September 17 against State University College at Fredonia ... Maryville University of St. Louis unveiled a new athletics logo September 15. The contemporary portrayal of Maryville's Saint Bernard mascot, which is framed by the words "Maryville Saints," replaces a logo that was introduced in 1994. School officials described the mark as a unifying logo for the institution's athletics teams ... The Earlham College and Manchester College football teams combined for a Division III scoring record for two teams in a game -- 131 points -- in Earlham's 69-62 victory September 10 ... Hamilton College's men's and women's lacrosse teams raised more than $3,500 to benefit survivors of the recent tsunami disaster in southeast Asia with a "goal-a-thon," in which fans pledged to donate funds for each of the goals scored by one of the two teams during last spring's play. The men scored 149 goals in 14 games and the women recorded 168 goals in 16 games. Money raised by the teams was donated through the Utica, New York, chapter of the American Red Cross.

--Compiled by Jack Copeland