NCAA

Robin Roberts wins Walter Camp Football Foundation "Distinguished American" Award

Former Southeastern Louisiana women’s basketball player Robin Roberts, accomplished student-athlete, media personality, author and breast-cancer survivor, is the 2009 recipient of the Walter Camp Football Foundation "Distinguished American" Award.

The Walter Camp "Distinguished American" award is presented each year to an individual who has utilized his or her talents to attain great success in business, private life or public service The recipient need not have participated in football but must be one who understands its lesson of self-denial, cooperation and teamwork, and one who is a person of honesty, integrity and dedication. He or she must be a leader, an innovator, even a pioneer, who has reached a degree of excellence that distinguishes him or her from contemporaries, as well as someone who lives within the principles of Walter Camp.

"Robin Roberts has had a distinguished record of excellence in her athletic and professional career which makes her…

Elliott’s 18 lead Southern Methodist past Loyola Marymount

DALLAS – Christine Elliott dominated in a lopsided contest in Southern Methodist’s first game of the season. The reigning Conference USA champions never trailed in the 78-58 victory over Loyola Marymount on SMU’s home court in Dallas at Moody Coliseum.

While SMU head coach Rhonda Rompola said that Elliot “is going to be double and triple teamed,” the 6’3” sophomore also managed to grab six rebounds.

“She is our go to player inside,” said Rompola. “We have to find ways to isolate her because she finishes around the hoop.”

Four other players had double digits for SMU. Brittany Gilliam (pictured right), Raquel Christian and Jillian Samuels scored 11 each. Haley Day added 10 and a team-high nine rebounds.

The Mustangs overwhelmed the Lions opening the first half with a 26-5 run. LMU started slowly and never recovered. At the half SMU had a 45-21 lead.…

Baylor takes on Incarnate Word to close out preseason play

vs.   

Nov. 7, 2009
7 p.m. CT
Waco, Texas
Live Stats: BaylorBears.com

WACO, Texas — Baylor meets Incarnate Word for the first time in its second and final exhibition game of the season. The Lady Bears beat Division II St. Edwards 97-43 on Tuesday.

The Incarnate Word Cardinals (San Antonio, Texas) are members of the Heartland Conference. Five starters and eight letterwinners return from last year’s squad that finished 21-9, their best record in 10 years. The Cardinals made their first NCAA Tournament appearance last season after a second-place league finish and a conference tournament title. With all five starters returning, Incarnate Word landed in the top spot of the Heartland Conference preseason poll. They are led by senior guard Nia Torru, last season’s Heartland Conference Player of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection.  The Houston, Texas, native averaged 18.2 points…

The rocky road back to Tulsa: Nolan Richardson returns, Part I

If Nolan Richardson were to never coach another basketball game, he could rest on his laurels knowing that his accomplishments had already earned him a place in United States history. While his coaching prowess clearly puts him in elite company among contemporary sports figures, the trajectory of his life makes him an icon on the level of other African-American men from Texas such as modern dance legend Alvin Ailey, California political honcho Willie Brown and pioneering former Congressman Mickey Leland.

The threads that bind Richardson to Ailey, Brown and Leland: they were all born in the mid-20^th century within a decade of each other in a segregated Texas where mob violence and lynchings against blacks were commonplace. Yet, each one soared to heights in their respective fields, collecting a long list of “firsts.”

Richardson, a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, is the only…

Big preview: Big 12 Conference women’s basketball

• Big 12 preview
• Preseason Awards
• Key Games
• Previous Big 12 Champions

Big 12 Conference Women’s Basketball preview by the preseason poll
(first place votes in parentheses; coaches not allowed to vote for their own team)

1. Baylor (5) 109

Baylor was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2009-10 Big 12 women’s basketball regular season title in a vote of the league’s head coaches. Baylor lost four starters, their top three scorers and top two rebounders. Point guard Kellli Griffin is Baylor’s lone full-time returning starter from last year’s Sweet 16 team. Griffin averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Melissa Jones, Ashley Field, Morghan Medlock and Whitney Zachariason also have starting experience. The Lady Bears won the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in 2009 – their second postseason title after claiming the 2005 crown. Baylor has made eight…

WNBA Tulsa a hot topic at Big 12 Conference women’s basketball media day

Kansas City, Mo. — The new WNBA team in Tulsa is a hot topic at the annual Big 12 Conference women’s basketball media day.

Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey learned of Tulsa Pro Hoops LL purchase of the Detroit Shock on the plane to Kansas City, Mo. for the media confab.

“I hope that they draw well and that the league can sustain,” she said. “I wish them well.”

Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale is very excited about the team and its impact.

“Anytime people are thinking about, talking about, going to, watching basketball, it’s a positive thing for our program,” said Coale.

She mentioned the concerns some had about Oklahoma women’s basketball games competing with the NBA Oklahoma City Thunder.

“When the Thunder came to Oklahoma City everybody said ‘what effect is this going to have?’ And obviously there were some legitimate questions and concerns there because sometimes…

ESPN Announces Women’s College Basketball Big Monday Schedule for 2009-10 Season

ESPN has announced the 2009-10 Big Monday Presented by Bud Light women’s college basketball schedule featuring the nation’s top teams in action every Monday primarily at 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. ET from Jan. 11 to March 1. New to this year’s schedule is the addition of Big Monday doubleheaders on Feb. 8, Feb. 15 and Feb. 22.  Every game will be televised on ESPN2 and will also be available on ESPN360.com.

Entering its fourth season, ESPN2’s Big Monday prime-time Game of the Week series will include 11 games (up from eight) throughout January and February, featuring the best programs in Division I women’s basketball. The series will begin on Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. with an ACC matchup featuring Maryland at Virginia. 

Before the tipoff of the Big Monday schedule, ESPN will showcase a prime-time matchup in its regular time slot, Monday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m.…

Champion of diversity and academic reform: NCAA President Myles Brand dies at 67

Myles Brand, the first university president to head the NCAA and a champion of academic reform died Wednesday after battling pancreatic cancer this past year. Brand, a former Indiana University President, championed academic reform, fiscal responsibility and student-athlete well-being during his tenure. He served as NCAA president since January 2003. He was 67.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2008 and announced his condition to the NCAA Executive Committee, the national office staff and the leadership at NCAA member schools in January, saying the long-term prognosis for his condition was "not good."

Brand built his presidency on academic reform and advocacy of intercollegiate athletics.

“Myles Brand’s appointment as president of the NCAA represented a new chapter for the organization,” said Graham Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University, “coming…