Facilities: The University of Arizona January 24 renamed its baseball facility Jerry Kindall Field at Frank Sancet Stadium after two important coaches in school history. "Both these coaches put Wildcats baseball on the map and each represented Arizona in the highest regard," said Arizona Athletics Director Jim Livengood. The baseball facility was known as Wildcat Field from 1967 to 1985. During Arizona's national-championship season of 1986 the facility was renamed Frank Sancet Field, a title it has carried until the rededication. Kindall, Arizona's all-time leader in career wins, retired in 1996 after 24 seasons at Arizona with an 860-580-6 record. A three-time national ABCA Coach of the Year, Kindall guided the Wildcats to three national championships at the College World Series, including Arizona's first team title in school history in 1976. Sancet retired in 1972 after a 22-year tenure and an 831-282-8 record. He guided the Arizona program to a school-record nine College World Series appearances and to the national-championship game three times ... The University of Southern Mississippi has selected Momentum turf by Sportexe as the new synthetic field surface at M. M. Roberts Stadium. David Hansen, senior associate athletics director, said Southern Mississippi chose Momentum after researching a variety of artificial turf products. Momentum, which is used by both the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and University of California, Berkeley, in their respective home stadiums, is a carpet consisting of millions of 2 1/2-inch "blades" of polyethylene grass, woven into a sturdy backing material, and infilled with a combination of kiln-dried sand and ground rubber.

Conferences: The University of Vermont has accepted an invitation from the Hockey East Association and will begin competing as a full member in men's and women's hockey starting with the 2005-06 season. "We have sincerely enjoyed the many wonderful years we have spent in the Eastern College Athletic Conference and look forward to continuing our association with the ECAC and its member schools through the 2004-05 season and in nonconference play in 2005-06 and beyond," said Vermont Athletics Director Robert Corran. Vermont has played Division I men's ice hockey in the ECAC since moving to Division I in 1974-75, and was ECAC Division II champion in 1972-73 and 1973-74. The Vermont women's program was upgraded to varsity status in 1998-99 and moved into Division I competition in 2001-02.

Milestones: Three high-profile men's basketball coaches achieved milestones January 3. University of Arizona coach Lute Olson notched his 700th career victory in a 93-74 victory over rival Arizona State University. The win pushed Olson's career record to 700-240 in 31 years as a coach at Long Beach State University, the University of Iowa and Arizona. He is 508-148 in 21 years with the Wildcats. Olson is the 19th college coach to reach 700 and the fourth still active, trailing Bob Knight, Lou Henson and Eddie Sutton. Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski earned his 600th win at Duke with a 73-54 victory over Clemson University. Krzyzewski moved to 600-176 in 24 seasons with the Blue Devils and becomes the 13th coach in NCAA Division I to reach that milestone at one school -- the third-fastest all-time behind Adolph Rupp of the University of Kentucky and John Wooden of the University of California, Los Angeles. University of Oklahoma head coach Kelvin Sampson earned his 400th career win with a 58-55 triumph over Princeton University. The win put Sampson at 224-81 in 10 seasons at Oklahoma ... Though he did not reach the milestone on January 3 like Olson, Krzyzewski and Sampson, University of Kentucky head men's basketball coach Tubby Smith notched his 300th career win in a 69-68 overtime triumph at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Smith, who after the win over the Vols was 300-111, is the sixth coach to reach the 300-win mark in 13 seasons or less. Others who have done so are Roy Williams, Everett Case, Denny Crum, Jim Boeheim and Nolan Richardson ... Temple head men's basketball coach John Chaney is poised to join Arizona's Olson at the 700-win mark, but the 31-year coach stayed at 699 after a one-point loss at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, January 24. The loss left Chaney at 699-278 for his career. Temple played St. Bonaventure University January 28.

Miscellaneous: The Collegiate Athletes Coalition (CAC), a group working to establish a collegiate players association and which has the support of the United Steelworkers of America, used a fund-raiser involving players from the Cleveland Browns recently to promote its cause. Browns cornerback Daylon McCutcheon joined the steelworkers association in hosting a fund-raiser reception to benefit the CAC. McCutcheon and nine teammates signed autographs and took pictures for about 200 Browns fans in Strongsville, Ohio. McCutcheon, CAC Chair Ramogi Huma and Leo Gerard, international president of the steelworkers association, used the event to deliver statements about "the need to secure basic protections for college athletes by changing NCAA rules." Notes about the event on the CAC Web site (www.cacnow.org) say the event "underscores the continuing support from the steelworkers and the growing support from professional athletes that were once subjected to unjust NCAA rules when they were college athletes." ... Longwood University's upcoming move to Division I in athletics is being featured on a Pepsi can. The new limited Lancer/Pepsi can features the new Lancers logo with the words "Division I Here We Come" and "Longwood University Is On The Move" and are available in major grocery outlets throughout Virginia. Through special arrangements with Pepsi, more than one million Pepsi cans will be produced to help promote the move. "This is an excellent way in which we can communicate our change in status with the community," said Longwood Director of Athletics Rick Mazzuto. "I'm sure the cans will end up as collector's items." The can is part of a 10-year contract that Longwood recently secured with Pepsi. Longwood, which has competed at the Division II level since the 1980-81 academic year, is currently in the first year of a four-year reclassification period toward Division I certification.

-- Compiled by Gary T. Brown