The NCAA News Digest

December 8, 1997

• FOOTBALL -- Most improved football teams
• PROFESSIONAL SPORTS -- Committee to discuss CBA plan to draft prep basketball players
• EQUIPMENT -- Expert recommends bat compliance program
• HONORS DINNER -- Former student-athletes selected for Silver Anniversary Awards
• CERTIFICATION -- Committee affirms prerogative to require status reports
• NATIONAL OFFICE -- Current Hall of Champions to close in September 1998

FOOTBALL -- Most improved football teams

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

The NCAA Professional Sports Liaison Com-mittee will discuss the Continental Basketball Association's proposal to draft high-school aged basketball players when it meets December 14-16.

CBA Commissioner Steve Patterson is expected to attend the meeting.

Richard C. Perko, NCAA membership services representative, said the committee is soliciting thoughts from the membership on this matter. Individuals in the membership who believe they can contribute to the examination of this issue are asked to contact Perko at the national office.

For more information, see the December 1 issue of The NCAA News.

EQUIPMENT

Expert recommends bat compliance program

An independent expert who directed a year-long review and research program for the NCAA says the Association should adopt a rigorous compliance program and sponsor a scientific field study to document current baseball and softball bat and ball performance.

Joseph J. "Trey" Crisco III said such an ap-proach would form the foundation for future testing that would allow the NCAA Baseball and Softball Rules Committees to develop permanent bat-performance standards based on published, scientific evidence rather than beliefs or anecdotal information.

Crisco is director of the bioengineering laboratory at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University and cofounder of the National Institute for Sports Science & Safety.

Staff contact: Theodore A. Breidenthal.

HONORS DINNER

Six former collegiate stars who have enjoyed prominent professional careers in journalism, medicine, sports and science are this year's NCAA Silver Anniversary Award recipients.

This year's honorees are Gary Hall, Indiana University, Bloomington, swimming; Lawrie Mifflin, Yale University, field hockey; Drew Pearson, University of Tulsa, football; Cynthia Potter, Indiana, diving; Sally K. Ride, Stanford University, tennis; and Harry Smith, Central College, football.

These individuals will be recognized January 11 at the honors dinner during the NCAA Convention in Atlanta.

Staff contact: Regina L. McNeal.

CERTIFICATION

The Division I Committee on Athletics Certification has formalized a policy in which it may require institutions, on a case-by-case basis, to submit status reports on gender- or minority-equity plans.

The committee discussed the matter at the request of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics, which had recommended that each Division I institution be required to submit an annual report to better monitor progress with gender equity.

The certification committee concluded that while a monitoring program may be desirable in some cases, it would be impractical to impose the broad approach recommended by the women's athletics committee.

Instead, the certification committee affirmed that it may determine that an institution is certified but that it may have issues with its gender- or minority-equity plans that need to be pursued. In such cases, the committee would require a status report from the institution.

Staff contact: David A. Knopp.

NATIONAL OFFICE

The NCAA Hall of Champions in Overland Park, Kansas, will close after Labor Day 1998.

The action is necessary because of the Assoc-iation's move to Indianapolis in 1999. The Hall of Champions will reopen in Indianapolis in March 2000.

Staff contact: Jeff Hiller.