Colleges

Navy's 2005 QB facing rape charge

By wire services
Published February 23, 2006

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Lamar Owens, the quarterback of Navy's 2005 football squad, has been charged with raping a female midshipman in her dormitory room, the academy announced Wednesday.

"These charges are accusations, and Midshipman Owens is presumed innocent until proven otherwise," said Cmdr. Rod Gibbons, an academy spokesman.

Because the alleged attack last month occurred on academy grounds, Owens was charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the investigation is being handled by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Gibbons said.

The academy did not release the woman's name. Gibbons said the academy offered support and counseling.

Owens, a 22-year-old senior from Savannah, Ga., would not be available to comment, Gibbons said.

An Article 32 hearing, similar to a civilian grand jury inquiry, will be held to determine if there is sufficient evidence to go ahead with the case, he said.

CLARETT DENIES CHARGES: Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett pleaded not guilty to charges that he flashed a gun at two people behind a bar on New Year's Day and took a cell phone.

Prosecutors allowed Clarett to enter his plea on robbery charges Tuesday with the clerk's office, avoiding his arraignment in court scheduled for Friday, said Duane Williams, deputy clerk for Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

COACH SUSPENDED: Connecticut suspended assistant football coach Terry Richardson after he was arrested on domestic violence charges. Richardson is charged with risk of injury to a minor and second-degree assault, both felonies, police said.

VANDY DROPS RB: Vanderbilt University announced that running back Zach Logan has been dismissed for violating team rules.

Florida State's bats came alive in the sixth inning against Jacksonville University, making JoAnne Graf just the second coach in NCAA history to reach 1,110 wins as the Seminoles prevailed 8-1 over the Dolphins. Florida State improved to 8-2 on the season, while Jacksonville dropped to 3-10. FSU starter Tiffany McDonald had a perfect game through 51/3 innings as her record improved to 6-1. JU starter Shannon Jensen took the loss, fallingto 2-6. JU won the nightcap, 2-1. ... University of South Florida softball player Tiffany Stewart was picked by the New England Riptide in the third round of the National Pro Fastpitch draft.

University of Central Florida junior Holly Boot shot a career-best even-par 73 as UCF carded a 6-over-par 298 and moved to a tie for eighth from 11th at the 28th Annual Pat Bradley Women's Championship at the Miccosukee Golf & Country Club. Augusta State held off the challenge of Brigham Young University, which posted the low round of the day with a 4-over-par 296, to win the 20-team event by one stroke over the Cougars.

WOMEN: Senior Neyssa Etienne (No. 53), USF's top singles player, and sophomore Courtney Vernon (No. 38), previously unranked, joined teammate Liz Cruz (No. 69) in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings.

[Last modified February 23, 2006, 01:10:09]