Colleges

Miami leapfrogs Alabama in AP poll

By wire services
Published November 7, 2005

Miami jumped over unbeaten Alabama, though just barely, and into the No.3 spot in the Associated Press Top 25.

The Hurricanes moved up two spots Sunday in the media poll behind No.1 Southern California and No.2 Texas. Alabama improved to 9-0 but stayed put. Two points separate Miami (1,452) and Alabama (1,450).

USC and Texas have been at the top since the preseason, making 2005 similar to 2004, when USC and Oklahoma were Nos.1 and 2, respectively, all season.

USC extended its record stay at No.1 to 29 polls. The Trojans won their 31st straight Saturday night with a 51-21 rout of Stanford.

Virginia Tech dropped five spots to No.8 after its loss to Miami. UCLA dropped seven to 14th after losing 52-14 to Arizona. Georgia Tech at 24th and Northwestern at 25th returned to the rankings, replacing California and Boston College.

TAMPA - With the early signing period three days away, USF women's basketball coach Jose Fernandez picked up his fifth oral commitment in Melissa Dalembert, a 6-foot-2 forward from Miramar.

"She liked the way everyone treated her there. She has a real talent, and she's going to prove it," her mother, Yvorse, said.

Dalembert, who averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds as a junior, also considered West Virginia. The sister of Seton Hall and 76ers center Samuel Dalembert, she averaged 12.1 points and 13.6 rebounds as a sophomore.

She joins 6-5 center Stephanie Sarosi of Titusville, 6-foot forward Caitlin Mitryk of Lake Mary, 6-1 forward Porche Grant of Kensington, Md., and 6-4 center Ashley McCray of Sanford as expected signees on Wednesday.

FLORIDA: The men's team finished second at the Carpet Capital Collegiate in Dalton, Ga., one shot behind Georgia State. Matt Every shot 6-under 210 to tie for third. ... The women finished sixth in the Auburn Derby, won by the host school.

FSU: The women finished in 11th at the Auburn Derby.

USF: Tyler Hitchcock finished third to lead the Bulls to second place behind Marquette in the 11-team Big East-MAC Challenger in Winter Park.

USF: The host Bulls men scored four in the second half to defeat West Virginia 4-1 Saturday and advance to a Big East Tournament semifinals against Providence at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Connecticut.

FLORIDA: Sophomore Diana Srebrovic upset Stanford's Theresa Logar 7-5, 6-4 to win the ITA National Indoor Championships title in Columbus, Ohio. Sophomore Lolita Frangulyan won her first career singles title, beating Vanderbilt's Courtney Ulery 6-4, 6-1 for the SEC Coaches Fall Classic B Division title in Peachtree City, Ga. ... Two on the men's team earned singles victories on the final day of the Bulldog Scramble in Athens, Ga. Senior Stefan Tell beat Kentucky's Alex Hume 6-4, 6-3, and redshirt senior Ryan Sherry edged Kentucky's Nate Emgy 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11-9).

UF ON VERGE: Senior Jane Collymore had 26 kills and 11 digs to help the visiting Gators beat Auburn 30-16, 30-19, 24-30, 30-16 and clinch at least a share of their 15th straight SEC title.

ELSEWHERE: Ericka Womack had 15 kills and three blocks to lead host Tampa to its second win in as many days, 30-15, 33-31, 30-18 over Florida Tech. ... Erin Oberlin had a team-high 11 kills and a game-high 11.5 points to lead host Saint Leo to a 30-16, 30-25, 30-14 victory over Nova Southeastern. ... Host Eckerd fell 30-26, 34-32, 30-27 to Lynn.

--Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.

[Last modified November 7, 2005, 01:10:19]