Conferences: The Mid-Continent Conference and Chicago State University jointly announced that Chicago State will withdraw as a conference member, effective June 30. The Cougars will compete as an NCAA Division I independent during the 2006-07 school year but play nonconference contests against Mid-Continent schools in volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball. “We respect the decision of Chicago State President Elnora Daniel to relocate the school’s athletics programs and are here to assist in any way that we can in that process,” said Mid-Continent Commissioner Tom Douple. “We wish Chicago State the best of luck in its future endeavors and in the next steps in the progression of its athletics programs.” Daniel said the university will seek membership in a new conference that will reflect its evolving institutional profile. “CSU’s new strategic plan calls for expansion that enhances our access to other metropolitan communities,” Daniel continued. “The university is highly appreciative of its past membership in the conference and wishes its members continued success.” Chicago State joined the Mid-Continent in 1994. Eight league members remain — Centenary College (Louisiana); Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; University of Missouri, Kansas City; Oakland University; Oral Roberts University; Southern Utah University; Valparaiso University; and Western Illinois University ... The Southland Conference will undergo changes July 1 that bring its league membership to 12 schools. New members at that time will be the University of Central Arkansas and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, while the University of Louisiana at Monroe will leave the Southland and become a member of the Sun Belt Conference ... The Colorado College women’s soccer team has accepted an invitation to compete as a temporary affiliate member of Conference USA beginning with the 2006 season. The Tigers will fill a spot vacated by Tulane University, which dropped women’s soccer and seven other varsity sports for an indefinite period after Hurricane Katrina. Colorado College, a Division III institution that sponsors women’s soccer at the Division I level, has competed as an independent for the last 21 seasons.

Facilities: The University of Hartford baseball team christened its on-campus facility March 29 by beating the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 6-2. University President Walter Harrison tossed the ceremonial first pitch. The game was the first on campus since April 27, 1985 (7,640 days). For many years, the Hawks played their home games at Ray McKenna Field in East Hartford until recent years when sites included East Hartford, Simsbury, Bristol and Machester, all  within 10-20 minutes from campus. 

Miscellaneous: The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, “School is Cool” program made a successful comeback April 17 when more than 2,000 Lincoln Public School eighth-graders gathered to hear advice and messages from Nebraska student-athletes. The program that helps prepare eighth-graders for the transition into high school is a smaller version of the nationally acclaimed School is Cool Jam that reached more than 100,000 Nebraska middle-school students from 1992 through 2001. The motivational assembly was discontinued because of transportation costs and field-trip reductions, but former Nebraska and current Kansas City Chiefs lineman Will Shields provided a generous donation to the Lincoln Public Schools Foundation covering all transportation costs. Student-athlete speakers included pentathlete Ashley Selig, who emphasized the importance of time management and challenged students to be organized as they transition into high school. “I live with my planner and on a daily basis write down separate to-do lists for academics, athletics and personal matters,” she said. Teammate Priscilla Lopes told the audience, “When I am on the track I focus solely on track and tune everything else out. When I am in the classroom, school gets 100 percent of my attention.” Other speakers included Nebraska football players Zac Taylor and Cortney Grixby, basketball student-athletes Bronsen Schliep and Jason Dourisseau, soccer standout Brittan Timko, softball pitcher Molly Hill and national volleyball player of the year Christina Houghtelling. Nebraska officials plan to make the “School is Cool” celebration an annual event while working toward the ultimate goal of returning the program to a state-wide level ... Youngstown, Ohio, native George Shuba threw the ceremonial first pitch in Youngstown State University’s April 18 game against Cleveland State University, 60 years to the day after he was involved in breaking down professional baseball’s racial barrier. Shuba shook Jackie Robinson’s hand while Robinson crossed the plate after homering in his second professional at-bat with the International League’s Montreal Royals April 18, 1946. A photo of what is regarded as the first white-black handshake in professional baseball ran in newspapers across the country and has since been recognized as “A Handshake for the Century.” Shuba, now 81, went on to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1948 to 1955 and was a member of the Dodgers’ 1955 World Series championship team.