Facilities: Wichita State University received a $1.2 million commitment from Bombardier-Learjet to help with the institution’s practice facility expansion project. The contribution provides permanent naming rights to an indoor practice facility to be used by several programs at Wichita State, including baseball. Wichita State is also renovating its arena on campus.

Sport sponsorship: La Salle University announced November 19 it will eliminate its football program, which had been reinstated in 1997 after a 56-year hiatus. The Explorers were winless in 2007 and last had a winning season in 2001. Athletics Director Thomas Brennan said the shrinking of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference football programs and the changing landscape of collegiate football have negatively affected the program. In the last eight years, seven MAAC schools have left the conference or dropped their football programs.

Conferences: The Big 12 Conference named its Fall Good Sports Works Team members. Recognized were Joe Pawelek, Baylor University, football; Alexandra Buth, University of Colorado, Boulder, volleyball; Michael O’Connell, Iowa State University, football; Caitlin Mahoney, University of Kansas, volleyball; Jenny Jantsch, Kansas State University, volleyball; Kate Greer, University of Missouri, Columbia, cross country; Amanda Gates, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; volleyball; Allyson Kucera, University of Oklahoma, soccer; Niccole Grimaldi, Oklahoma State University, soccer; Colt McCoy, University of Texas at Austin, football; Evelyn Wing, Texas A&M University, College Station, cross country; Brian Duncan, Texas Tech University, football ... The Mountain West Conference contracted with Phillips 66 as the title sponsor of the league’s men’s and women’s basketball and baseball championships through 2010. Included in the package are public address announcements, video board messaging, signage, logos, seatback covers, print advertising and the creation of the Phillips 66 Move of the Game, during which a fan in the upper section of the Thomas and Mack Center is moved into the lower section during the basketball tournaments ... The Patriot League will distribute backpacks from EarthPak company to all its 2007-08 conference championship participants. The backpacks are made of five recycled two-liter soda bottles and are part of a Patriot League campaign to incorporate more environmentally friendly practices into championships and conference business.

Milestones: Elon University senior Michael Mayers and sophomore Terrell Hudgins set a Division I Football Championship Subdivision record for the most passes caught by two teammates in a single season with 189. They surpassed the 183 passes Jerry Rice and Joe Thomas of Mississippi Valley State University caught in 1984. Mayers and Hudgins set the mark in a 42-31 loss to The Citadel. Mayers and Hudgins each caught nine passes in the game.