Conferences: The Presidents' Athletic Conference will add Thomas More College as its seventh member in 2005-06, extending the league's reach into Kentucky. "This is the first step for the PAC as we begin to grow our conference, both in size and in academic and athletics stature," said Tori Haring-Smith, president of Washington & Jefferson College and chair of the conference's Presidents' Council. "Long term, we envision a PAC with eight to 10 members that will be considered one of the national leaders in Division III athletics. We have had communication with several institutions toward reaching our membership goals and expect to reach our desired membership level in the near future." With Thomas More's addition, the league now has members in three states, including Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Thomas More will be eligible for league titles in all sports beginning in fall 2005. "Although it is a daunting task, the conference athletics directors and coaches will do everything in their power to get Thomas More fully scheduled and integrated into the conference in time for the fall sports season," said Rick Creehan, director of athletics at Washington & Jefferson and chair of the league's Athletics Directors' Council. The conference also announced it will seek a waiver of the two-year waiting period to gain automatic-qualification status, citing its 50 years of existence.

Facilities: The College of New Jersey has begun construction of a sports complex that will include a new softball facility and soccer field. Both sports' facilities will include spectator seating and a press box, while the softball field also will feature dugouts and the soccer facility will boast an infill-type synthetic surface and scoreboard. A concession stand also will be built to serve both venues. "I am particularly happy for our softball players and the program's coaches as well as their supporters, who have been patiently waiting for the replacement of their old field," said Kevin McHugh, the school's director of athletics. "It is also reassuring to know that we will have an improved playing surface for our soccer teams and should now finally be able to host NCAA soccer events in the future. This new complex promises to add yet another dimension to the athletics infrastructure of the college and will positively impact all of our sport programs as well as the campus community in general." In addition to the recreational features, the project includes an area to be named Alumni Grove, a landscaped area with a reflecting pond that also will feature engraved bricks honoring up to 4,000 alumni and friends of the school.

Milestones: Brian Gillogly claimed his 400th coaching victory in baseball April 7 when Luther College defeated Central College (Iowa) in the first game of a doubleheader. Gillogly, who is in his fourth season at the school, also coached 12 years at Marian College (Wisconsin) ... Joel Holst recorded the 400th victory of his collegiate baseball coaching career and his 300th win at Wartburg College with the Knights' sweep of an April 2 doubleheader against Central (Iowa). Holst coached for five years at Loras College before moving to Wartburg, where he is in his 10th season ... Karla Wolters became a 1,000-game winner April 1 -- counting all five of the sports she has coached. Wolters, in her 17th year as softball coach at Hope College, achieved the milestone with her team's victory in the opening game of a doubleheader against the University of Wisconsin, Stout. Wolters has collected the wins through years of coaching at two schools, Calvin College and Hope, and in softball (547 victories), volleyball (375), field hockey (40), basketball (24) and tennis (14) ... Sam Blackmon notched his 100th career victory in baseball when his University of Dallas squad defeated Fisk University March 31 ... Pat Glispin earned her 400th victory in women's basketball when Clark University (Massachusetts) defeated Mount Holyoke College in the semifinals of the New England Women's and Men's Athletics Conference tournament. She has coached at Clark for 21 years ... John Cole recorded his 200th win in baseball with top-ranked Rowan University's March 26 victory over Worcester State College in the second game of a doubleheader ... Eric Podbelski posted his 200th baseball coaching victory when Wheaton College (Massachusetts) defeated Montclair State University March 19. He is in his eighth season at the school and ninth overall.

Miscellaneous: Rowan University baseball pitcher Josh Schwartz broke the Division III record for consecutive pitching wins when the Profs defeated York College (Pennsylvania) March 25, then surpassed the all-divisions mark five days later when he beat Gwynedd-Mercy College for his 27th straight win. Schwartz surpassed records established in 1994 by William Penn College's Dennys Gomez, who won 25 straight games through three seasons to set the Division III mark, and the all-divisions mark of 26 set by Brigham Young University's Scott Nielsen in 1978 and tied by Wake Forest University's Kyle Sleeth in 2003. Schwartz' streak remained alive through April 16, when he collected his 30th straight win against Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark.

-- Compiled by Jack Copeland