Sports

Colleges

County, USF together in campus track project

Compiled from staff and wire reports
Published May 4, 2006

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TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Commission unanimously approved the allocation of $2.79-million to build and renovate an outdoor track and field complex at USF to be used jointly by the Bulls and the county.

"We are pleased to be part of a partnership which will be productive for youth in the Tampa Bay area as well as USF students and USF student-athletes," athletic director Doug Woolard said.

As part of the agreement, the county will pay for construction and renovation costs, and USF will provide the land and handle operations and maintenance of the new complex. The county will have first priority for all non-USF uses of the track, which officials hope could draw conference and national college meets, as well as the state's high school championships.

"We hope it will be one of the finest track facilities in the country," said Woolard, whose plans include reconfiguration and resurfacing of the eight-lane 400-meter track, upgrades to the 4,000-seat stadium and its press box, as well as the addition of a second track outside the stadium.

USF will begin planning construction, and work on the stadium ideally would take place after soccer season ends in November, in time for the outdoor track season that begins in March. The Bulls continue fundraising efforts to finance proposed new stadiums for baseball, softball, soccer and tennis, as well as renovations to the Sun Dome.

Woolard said USF will submit bids to host the Big East track and field championships in 2008-09, which will be awarded this summer. The site could also become home to next year's FHSAA's state track and field championships, which are being held in Jacksonville and Winter Park this spring but will re-opened for bids this summer.

- GREG AUMAN, Times staff writer

Football

Alabama coach Mike Shula received a new six-year contract worth $1.55-million per year. The deal extends his contract two years through early 2012, with a raise of $650,000 plus a $200,000 signing bonus.

GEORGIA: Coach Mark Richt's wife, Katharyn, had a hysterectomy last week following her recent diagnosis for cervical cancer, Richt said. Richt told the Savannah Bulldog Club of his wife's surgery.

TENNESSEE: Coach Phillip Fulmer dismissed Raymond Henderson, a freshman defensive lineman who redshirted last year, for violating team rules.

BOWLS: The Big East has aligned itself with two new bowls, the International Bowl in Toronto and the Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl. In the International Bowl, the Big East faces a MAC team on Jan. 6. The league faces a Conference USA team in the Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl Dec. 23.

Other sports

TENNIS: Gainesville will be one of 16 sites for the women's Division I NCAA Tournament as the the Florida women host South Florida and two other schools in the first two rounds. The Gators (21-1), seeded fourth nationally, face Samford (15-6) and USF (16-5) faces Maryland (12-11) on May 12 in the first round. The winners meet the next day. Miami is another region host; the Hurricanes (19-6) face Boston University (15-5) with the winner facing the winner between Florida International (20-5) and Iowa. Sixteen teams reach nationals May 18-22 at Stanford.

In the men's tournament, Florida State (17-11) faces Auburn (14-10) in the first round in Oxford, Miss. The winner faces host Mississippi or Belmont. Florida (15-7) travels to Stillwater, Okla., to face Western Michigan (25-4) with the winner facing Drake or Oklahoma State. Miami (18-4) hosts and faces Manhattan (15-6) with the winner playing LSU or Minnesota.

BASEBALL: Middleton High graduate Mark Gildea and Jesuit High product Shane Robinson homered in Florida State's 9-2 win over visiting Jacksonville. Bloomingdale High grad Ryan Strauss had a double, a single and an RBI for FSU (36-11).

[Last modified May 4, 2006, 00:59:16]

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