Florida State's Rafeeq Curry and Rhoan Sterling, both of whom earned All-America honors at the NCAA track and field championships in Austin, Texas, were arrested there after a brawl involving a Clemson student-athlete on Sunday morning.
According to a police report, "several males were seen fighting in the middle" of a street in the nightclub district at about 12:30 a.m. The report identified Clemson junior Airese Currie, a sprinter and standout wide receiver, as the victim. His face was cut by a bottle, the Columbia (S.C.) State newspaper reported, but the police report makes no mention of a weapon other than fists and feet.
Curry, 20, was arrested for assault with bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $4,000 fine. The Miami sophomore, who finished fourth in the triple jump, was released on a $5,000 bond.
Sterling, 23, faces a disorderly conduct charge, a Class C misdemeanor that carries a maximum $500 fine. The Canadian junior, who was a member of the 4x100 meter relay team that finished third, was released on his recognizance. Neither Curry nor Sterling have a prior criminal record, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records. Both have been suspended indefinitely.
"We are aware of the altercation, but we are still getting details and assessing exactly what happened," FSU senior associate athletic director Charlie Carr said in a statement. "We will take appropriate action when we are satisfied that we know all the details."
FSU officials said another incident precipitated the brawl that marred an NCAA sponsored post-meet party, where alcohol was unavailable to athletes. FSU's Willie Johnson, an Orlando junior who, like Curry, competed in the triple jump, was beaten by someone from Clemson and needed stitches inside and outside his mouth.
CU president criticized
Colorado president Betsy Hoffman was criticized Tuesday for refusing to condemn a vulgar anatomical reference allegedly used to describe a female football player who says she was raped by a teammate.
Hoffman's comments in a federal court case sparked a fresh storm of protest. A member of the Board of Regents and others said they were appalled by what they called her lack of sensitivity.
The comment came during a deposition this month in a lawsuit filed by three women who say they were sexually assaulted by players in 2001.
One of the women's attorneys told Hoffman the vulgar term had been used to describe teammate Katie Hnida. The attorney asked Hoffman whether she thought the term was "a filthy and vile word."
Hoffman replied it was a "swear word" and that its meaning depended on the circumstances in which it was used, according to a copy of the deposition.
Asked if it could be used in a polite context, Hoffman replied: "Yes, I've actually heard it used as a term of endearment."
Basketball
CINCINNATI: Suspended men's coach Bob Huggins was ordered to attend an alcohol education course and pay a $350 fine plus court costs Tuesday after pleading no contest to a drunken driving charge.
Magistrate John Holschuh Jr. of the Fairfax Mayor's Court suspended a six-month jail sentence and $650 of a $1,000 fine provided Huggins completes the requirements.
Huggins also can't drive for 15 days, and then he will be limited to driving to and from work, for medical purposes and other special circumstances for the remainder of a six-month period.
LOUISVILLE: Former Kansas center David Padgett transferred, signing financial aid documents with the school. Cardinals coach Rick Pitino tried unsuccessfully to recruit Padgett out of Reno High School in Nevada.
OHIO STATE: Kathleen Salyers, the woman whose lawsuit led to the firing of men's coach Jim O'Brien, received threatening phone calls and had her tires slashed, her lawyer said.
"This entire ordeal has been a tremendous strain upon her," attorney Jeffrey Lucas said.
Salyers sued two boosters last year, testifying in an April deposition she never received the $1,000 per month plus expenses she had been promised for housing Boban Savovic, a player on the Buckeyes' Final Four team in 1998-99.
The school fired O'Brien on June 8 after he admitted he gave $6,000 in 1999 to Aleksandar Radojevic, a recruit who never attended Ohio State because he was ruled ineligible after the NCAA found out he had been paid to play in Europe.
Athletic director Andy Geiger learned of the payment because it was mentioned in Salyers' statement in her lawsuit.
TENNESSEE: Women's assistant Greg Brown will return to high school coaching. Brown, 34, had completed his first year as assistant coach after working as a graduate assistant in 2002-03.
WITHDRAWALS: Texas' LaMarcus Aldridge, Providence's Ryan Gomes and Auburn's Marco Killingsworth withdrew from the NBA draft. Killingsworth will transfer.
- Times researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this report, which used information from other news organizations.
