Newsmakers

Died An Arkansas high school student died in Gurdon, Ark., after collapsing during football practice and officials are trying to determine whether heat was a factor. Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson identified the student as 15-year-old Montel Williams, a sophomore at Gurdon High School in southwest Arkansas. According to the National Weather Service, the temperature in the area was 93 degrees.

Committed Tennis player Serena Williams plans to play for the United States in two Fed Cup series next year, returning to a team she hasn’t been a member of since 2007. And the U.S. Tennis Association said that if Williams does play for her country twice in 2012, it will consider the 13-time Grand Slam champion eligible for the London Olympics.

Joined Former NFL coach Bill Parcells and receiver Jerry Rice are joining ESPN as NFL analysts. It will Parcells’ third stint with the network. Rice, the Hall of Fame wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, will serve as an analyst on shows such as “NFL Live” and “SportsCenter.”

Replaced NASCAR driver Kurt Busch will drive the No. 22 Dodge in place of injured Penske teammate Brad Keselowski in Saturday’s Nationwide race at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

Extended University of Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn (formerly of University of Idaho) is getting a five-year extension following.

Hired The University of Illinois introduced Mike Thomas as its new athletics director, turning the program over to the man credited with raising the stature – and success – of sports at the University of Cincinnati. Thomas, 51, will replace Ron Guenther, who retired this summer after 19 years on the job.

• U.S. assistant men’s soccer coach Jesse Marsch signed a three-year deal to coach the Montreal Impact when the club makes the jump to Major League Soccer next season.

Banned FIFA has banned three Hungarian and three Bosnian match officials for life after they helped fix two international exhibitions. All seven goals were scored from penalty kicks when Latvia played Bolivia and Bulgaria faced Estonia in a Feb. 9 double-header.