The NCAA News - Briefly in the News

June 22, 1997

Johnson, an 11-year NBA veteran who attended the University of California, Berkeley, from 1983 to 1987, participated in commencement exercises at the university this May.

Johnson is a three-time all-star who holds more Phoenix Suns offensive records than any other player.

He's also received accolades for his humanitarian efforts. During his fourth season in the NBA, Johnson founded St. Hope (Help Our People Excel) Academy in Sacramento, California. St. Hope is a program designed to benefit youth by providing them with educational, cultural and spiritual opportunities.

Johnson received the NBA's citizenship award in 1991, and he was named by President Bush in 1992 as one of America's "1,000 Points of Light."

The road to his degree was not an easy one for Johnson, who was a full academic year short of his degree when he left California.

Six years ago, he began the process with a summer school class.

In the interim, he has taken classes by correspondence and by independent study -- all while playing professional ball and establishing St. Hope.

"I took classes in each and every form I could to get my degree," Johnson told the Oakland Tribune.

"I had to finish," he said. "I had to. I looked back at American history, to when African-Americans were slaves. When finally there was a chance to gain some knowledge and receive education, those people not only went to school but did it after they had worked all day and while they were trying to raise families. If they were able to make the sacrifices back then ... certainly our road is much easier."

Current California men's basketball coach Ben Braun, who attended the ceremony, said the determination to get the degree says a lot about Johnson.

"Something like this -- the kind of drive and dedication it takes -- explains why he is the player and person he is," Braun said.

"That was my championship," Johnson said. "I haven't gotten one on the basketball court, but this will last a lifetime."

Revving up engineering

One new intercollegiate sport may feature engineering students as its stars.

A loosely organized league of seven Southeastern universities has begun racing five-eighths scale Legends cars at a small track behind the Charlotte Motor Speedway and at similar tracks in Raleigh, North Carolina, and in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The races began as the creation of Speedway Motorsports President H. A. Wheeler and University of South Carolina, Columbia, engineering dean Craig Rogers, and they have received additional support form the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Supporters of the league say it will help engineering students put their training to the test.

North Carolina-Charlotte will even begin offering a motorsports emphasis for mechanical-engineering majors.

Other racing schools include Duke University; North Carolina State University; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the University of South Carolina, Columbia; the University of Virginia; and North Carolina A&T State University.

One of 'The Reggae Boyz'

Jamaica's first appearance in soccer's World Cup will feature a former student-athlete from New Hampshire College.

Dean Sewell, who played for the Penmen from 1994 to 1996 was one of seven defenders named to the Jamaican team, which has adopted the nickname, "The Reggae Boyz."

Sewell was a second-team all-American his last season. He totaled 114 points during his career.

--Compiled by Kay Hawes

Division I notes

Facilities: The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, will construct a new softball facility through a $1 million gift from Sage and John Cowles of Minneapolis and $1 million recently appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature. Minnesota also received a $900,000 gift from Deborah Robbie Olson for a new women's soccer facility.

Sports sponsorship: Bentley Col-lege will upgrade its ice hockey program to Division I, effective for the 1999-2000 season. Bentley will compete as a Division II independent in 1998-99 before beginning play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference the following year ... The Atlantic 10 Conference has added women's lacrosse, beginning in 1999 ... Troy State College announced that its football team will move to Division I-A in 2002, pending stadium improvements ... Drexel University has eliminated its men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and men's and women's cross country teams ... Gannon University will add men's lacrosse and field hockey as intercollegiate sports and will petition the NCAA for Division I status in both, beginning as early as the 1999-2000 season ... Boston College announced a plan to add 47 scholarships to various women's sports programs over the next five years. In addition, the school plans to add women's rowing as a varsity sport within three years. In 2002-03, men's lacrosse, water polo and wrestling, currently varsity sports, will be designated club sports.

Milestones: Joe Hindelang, Pennsyl-vania State University, 400 wins in baseball ... Marty Miller, Norfolk State University, 600 wins in baseball ... Gary McClure, Austin Peay State University, 300 wins in baseball ... John Smith, California State University, Sacramento, 600 wins in baseball ... Dave Urick, Georgetown University, 200 wins in men's lacrosse ... Dave Fross, University of Akron, 700 wins in baseball ... Mike Rappl, Canisius College, 400 wins in baseball.

--Compiled by Gary Brown