TOP POST

Diversity hiring is right, smart
There will be more head coaches of color at NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision schools than ever in history when the 2009 season gets underway. And more were hired than ever before at the end of the 2008 season. Since 2005, the number has increased by 300 percent.

IN THE ZONE

Men's bracket takes shape
Three more schools secured automatic bids to the Men's NCAA Tournament on Wednesday night. Congratulations to North Dakota State. The Bison snuck past Oakland in the Summit League final thanks to a 17-foot jumper with three seconds left. The win sent North Dakota to the NCAA tournament in school's first season in Division I.

University of Connecticut's streak continues
Four schools secured automatic bids to the Women's NCAA Tournament on Wednesday night. Connecticut looked unstoppable during last night's Big East Championship. The top-ranked Huskies routed No. 5 Louisville, 75-36. The win gave Connecticut a perfect 33-0 record for the year, its 15th conference title, and its 21st consecutive NCAA berth.

Times profiles new Big East Commish
The New York Times profiled new Big East Commissioner John Marinatto. The article lauds Marinatto for his "throwback" career in college athletics, which began in 1975 washing uniforms for Providence College.

An interesting twist to the playoffs
The National Basketball Association's Developmental League has modified this year's playoff format and it's pretty cool.

Let the games begin
Last night The Division II National Championships Festival got underway, as more than 1,000 student-athletes celebrated at Houston's Downtown Aquarium. Throughout the week, student-athletes from indoor track and field, swimming and diving, and wrestling will compete for five national championships at the University of Houston.

Pregame dunks are costly
Saint Mary's was trailing Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference tournament championship game before the game even started. A member of St. Mary's dunked during pregame warm-ups (a violation of NCAA rules) and the team was assessed a technical.

Back to the driving range
Former UCLA quarterback Drew Olson was eliminated in the semifinals of the San Francisco City Golf Championship by a 14-year-old. Olson held a 2-up lead with three holes to play before Carlos Briones won the final three holes to win the match 1-up.