News Nuggets, 08.07.03
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

Previous Day Nuggets...             Next Day Nuggets...

Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

C-USA trio in contention for Wooden All-America team

Marquette’s Travis Diener, a 2003 Conference USA Second Team All-Conference selection, Louisville’s Francisco Garcia, the 2003 C-USA Freshman of the Year, and Cincinnati’s Jason Maxiell, the 2002 C-USA Sixth Man of the Year, have been named among the top 50 candidates for the 2003-04 Wooden Award Preseason All-American Team.

Diener helped the Golden Eagles become the first team in C-USA’s nine-year history to make the NCAA Final Four, the school’s first appearance since winning the 1977 national title under legendary coach Al McGuire. The 6-1 junior guard finished the 2002-03 campaign third in assists (5.58 per game) and was third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.8 points per game.

Garcia helped led the Cardinals to their first NCAA Tournament appearance after a two-year hiatus by averaging 11.2 points per game and finishing fourth in the league in three-point field goal percentage (.430). The 6-7 sophomore forward was also named to the C-USA All-Tournament Team after helping U of L win its first C-USA Tournament crown at Freedom Hall last March. Garcia is currently playing on the Dominican Republic Pan Am Games squad and will try to help his native country win the gold medal game when it faces Brazil on Wednesday night (August. 6).

Maxiell was the Bearcats’ second-leading scorer in 2002-03, averaging 11.9 per game, and their top rebounder, grabbing 6.7 boards per contest. The 6-7 junior forward helped UC to its 12th consecutive NCAA Tournament berth last March.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation's best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his university that he is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The 2004 Award ceremony will be held at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Saturday, April 10, 2004 and will be televised live on CBS Sports.

Bearcats' Kirkland sanctioned but still on team

CINCINNATI — University of Cincinnati basketball player Armein Kirkland won't be suspended from the team after he plead innocent to charges that he struck a 17-year-old girl during an argument at his apartment.

Cincinnati athletic director Bob Goin decided to impose restrictions on Kirkland after meeting with the sophomore guard and head coach Bob Huggins. Goin would not reveal the restrictions.

"He told me his story," Goin said. "We're going to let this thing play its way out and see if what he told me actually occurred and let the judge make the call."

Kirkland, 19, was arrested on misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and assault for allegedly grabbing Ambrea Lacy's throat and slapping her in the face Saturday.

Lacy, who lived with Kirkland for two months, faces the same charges. She was accused of biting Kirkland in the elbow and stomach, according to a police report.

A Hamilton County municipal judge on Monday allowed Kirkland to be released from jail after he posted bond. The judge ordered him to stay away from Lacy.

Kirkland, from Tyler, Texas, was a reserve player who saw action in 27 games as a freshman last season. He averaged 3.4 points and two rebounds per game.

Tigers football recruit gains release to pursue family ties at ECU

Memphis began its preseason camp on Wednesday with over 100 players participating, but it was a player who didn't report for duty that will be of interest to East Carolina fans.

Tigers head coach Tommy West announced that wide receiver Bobby Good, a freshman from Tampa, FL, had been released from his letter-of-intent so that he could play for his uncle, Rick Stockstill, at East Carolina.

"I don't make a habit of releasing players that we have signed but this is a once in a lifetime chance for Bobby to play for his uncle," West said.

West and Stockstill have ties going back to their days in the Clemson program. Stockstill was a wide receivers and quarterbacks coach during West's tenure as Clemson's head coach.

Four of league's kickers on Groza Award watch list

Three Conference USA players are among the 30 preliminary candidates for the 12th annual Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate placekicker. Houston’s Dustin Bell, South Florida’s Santiago Gramatica, TCU’s Nick Browne and UAB’s Nick Hayes represent C-USA on the list of preseason honorees.

Last season, Bell became the first placekicker in UH history to successfully convert his first seven field goal attempts of the season. He went on to finish 12-of-14 on the year, including a perfect 10-for-10 inside of 41 yards, posting the top field goal percentage in Conference USA. Bell drilled 32-of-35 extra point attempts to finish with 68 points on the season.

Gramatica, the younger brother of NFL kickers Martin Gramatica (Tampa Bay) and Bill Gramatica (Arizona), connected on 16-of-21 field goal attempts last season, including a long of 41 yards. He made 35-of-40 extra point tries, finishing the season with 83 points. Entering his junior season, he trails only his brother, Bill, on USF’s all-time scoring chart.

Browne was a first team Conference USA placekicker last season after converting 23-of-30 field goal attempts. His average of 1.92 field goals per game led the nation. Browne was also a first-team Verizon Academic All-American. He was selected as Playboy magazine's 2003 Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete of the Year and is a preseason first team all-conference pick and the league's Co-Special Teams Player of the Year, as selected by the Conference USA head football coaches.

Hayes successfully converted his first 14 field goal attempts last season, finishing the campaign hitting 17-of-22. During his two-year Blazer career he is 27-of-37 on field goal tries (25-of-30 inside 50 yards) and his 73.0 percent overall accuracy mark ranks No. 1 all-time at UAB. Hayes is a perfect 46-for-46 on field goal attempts over the last two years, including a 29-for-29 ledger last season.

Started in 1992, the Lou Groza Award is named after Lou "The Toe" Groza, the Cleveland Browns Hall of Fame placekicker who is credited with elevating the role of placekicker to one of an offensive weapon and scoring machine. Groza, who played 21 seasons in the NFL, set NFL records for field goals and extra points in a season as a rookie and he ended his career with 10 league records and 24 Cleveland Browns marks.

Four times players from Conference USA schools have won the award. Memphis’ Joe Allison was the first-ever recipient in 1992 and TCU’s Michael Reeder won it in 1995. C-USA produced back-to-back winners in 2000 and 2001, when Cincinnati’s Jonathan Ruffin and Tulane’s Seth Marler won the award, respectively. Other winners include: Judd Davis of Florida in 1993, Arizona's Steve McLaughlin in 1994, Kansas State's Martin Gramatica in 1997, Sebastian Janikowski of Florida State in both 1998 and 1999, and Iowa’s Nate Kaeding last season.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007

©2001-2002-2003-2004-2005-2006-2007-2008-2009-2010-2011-2012-2013 Bonesville.net. All rights reserved.
Articles, logos, graphics, photos, audio files, video files and other content originated on this site are the proprietary property of Bonesville.net.
None of the articles, logos, graphics, photos, audio files, video files or other content originated on this site may be reproduced without written permission.
This site is not affiliated with East Carolina University. View Bonesville.net's Privacy Policy. Advertising contact: 252-349-3280; Editorial contact: editor@bonesville.net; 252-444-1905.