National sports
Matta leaves Xavier to become Ohio State’s basketball coach
A week after declaring he had no interest in becoming basketball coach at Ohio State, Xavier’s Thad Matta accepted the position on Wednesday. Ohio State sports information director Steve Snapp said the school would hold a news conference Friday to formally introduce Matta, who will turn 37 on Sunday. “We have extended an offer, he’s accepted it and we’re excited about it,” Snapp said. Xavier athletic director Dawn Rogers confirmed Matta’s hiring in an e-mail to the Associated Press shortly after she received a call from him early Wednesday evening. “I always had the uneasy feeling that Thad might be the next Ohio State coach,” Rogers said at a news conference Wednesday night. “Ultimately he did what he needed to do to be where he wanted to be as a coach.” “ The National Association of Basketball Coaches recommended a sweeping new recruiting model, one which included allowing players to be eligible for five years and giving coaches more access to their players in the off-season. The NABC discussed the proposal at its annual summer meeting and will submit a revised edition to the NCAA, which must approve it. The NCAA asked the NABC nearly three months ago to help develop a new recruiting model that would address the student-athlete experience as a whole, both on and off the court. The NCAA hopes the new rules will attract more players to college, encourage them to stay in school and remain at the university they originally choose.
Hockey
Quenneville new Avs coach
Joel Quenneville was hired Wednesday to coach the Colorado Avalanche, replacing Tony Granato, who will become his assistant.
Quenneville was the coach of the St. Louis Blues from January 1997 until this February, when he was fired during a 4-12 slump.
Quenneville said he had been in contact about openings with several teams this summer — just not the one that hired him.
“This came about so quickly yesterday — I’m cutting the grass in the backyard and here I am sitting in front of everybody when Colorado wasn’t even an idea,” Quenneville said. “It came about so quickly and I’m totally thrilled about the opportunity. I love the challenge.”
Granato was an Avalanche assistant when he was promoted to head coach in December 2002, replacing Bob Hartley, who was fired.
Granato said he had no problem handing over the reins to someone like Quenneville and that he brought the idea to general manager Pierre Lacroix.
Track and field
IAAF won’t suspend U.S. athletes
Track and field’s world governing body will not suspend American athletes facing doping allegations unless there is evidence they failed drug tests.
That means four U.S. athletes who face possible lifetime bans — but have not tested positive for drugs — could compete in the Athens Olympics if their arbitration hearings have not been resolved by then.
Sprinters Tim Montgomery, Christye Gaines, Michelle Collins and Alvin Harrison have been notified by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency they face lifetime bans in the BALCO steroid investigation. All are contesting the allegations.
Soccer
U.S. reaches new high in rankings
The United States advanced to an all-time high No. 7 in FIFA’s rankings while Greece jumped 21 spots to No. 14 after its dazzling run to the European Championship title.
Brazil remained No. 1 for the 25th straight month, and France and Spain stayed at second and third.
The United States twice had climbed as high as eighth — in September 2002 and again in May. The Americans beat Grenada in a home-and-home series in June to reach the semifinals of World Cup qualifying in its region of North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Sports people
Canadian skate pair lacked visas
Canadian figure skaters David Pelletier and Jamie Sale were not allowed to perform last weekend at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho, because they lacked proper work visas to enter the United States. … Spokane’s Jan-Michael and Torrey Gambill lost in first-round doubles action of the Campbell’s Hall of Fame tournament in Newport, R.I., 6-1, 6-4 to Gilles Elseneer and Jeff Salzenstein. … The New England Patriots released cornerback Otis Smith, less than three months after re-signing the 14-year veteran. … British Columbia Lions quarterback Dave Dickenson, an All-American at Montana nine years ago, underwent minor knee surgery Tuesday. … Marie Porter, who recently served as interim athletic director at the University of Montana, has resigned. …Two-time Olympic long jump champion Heike Drechsler will skip the Olympics because she is unhappy with her results.