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News Nuggets, 01.14.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

'Meet the Baseball Pirates' feast on deck

With basketball season in full stride, the 2003 football season still visible in the rearview mirror and 2004 spring drills scheduled to kick off next month, it's the time of year when various college sports collide.

At East Carolina, where baseball draws more fans than does basketball at many Division I schools, the diamond Pirates are poised to leap smack dab into the forefront of the fans' consciousness with the opening of practice today followed by the defending NCAA regional qualifiers' "Meet the Pirates" extravaganza on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 4 p.m.

It will be the fourth year for the "Meet the Pirates" event, which features opportunities for fans to socialize and dine with the team and obtain autographs and take pictures of the players and ECU coach Randy Mazey and his staff.

This year's festivities will be held at the Murphy Center's Harvey Banquet Hall with the food catered by Outback Steakhouse. The cost is seven dollars per person (three dollars for children 12 and under) and advance reservations are required.

"Meet the Pirates" tickets as well as season baseball tickets may be ordered by calling 252.328.4500.

ECU opens the season at home on Friday, Feb. 13, against UNC Asheville in the first outing of a three-game weekend series.

Read the more comprehensive story on ECUPirates.com...

Coach with ECU ties takes over at Citadel

CHARLESTON — The Citadel has decided to promote John Zernhelt from offensive coordinator to head coach, Bulldogs athletic director Les Robinson announced this week.

Zernhelt replaces Ellis Johnson, who went 12-22 in three seasons at the Division I-AA school and left last month to become Mississippi State's defensive coordinator.

Before coming to The Citadel, Zernhelt served as offensive coordinator at James Madison. He previously coached the offensive line at South Carolina and was offensive coordinator at Duke.

Zernhelt, a Maryland graduate who played on three ACC championship teams in the 1970s, also worked at Rice, Maryland, East Carolina, Marshall and Ferrum.

At ECU, Zernhelt served on the staffs of former Pirates head coaches Ed Emory and Art Baker from 1982-86.

USF AD Selmon sidelined by health issue

TAMPA — South Florida athletic director and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon is taking a six-week sabbatical to "assess a private health matter."

In a letter this week to athletes, coaches, staff and university president Judy Genshaft, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive end said the decision to leave his job was effective immediately.

"I want to thank each of you in advance for respecting my privacy during this period," Selmon said. "While it is highly unlikely that I will be able to resume the position of athletic director after the sabbatical, the president has asked me to at least continue to serve as her partner for athletics and community relations."

Selmon was the first draft pick of the expansion Buccaneers in 1976. He played nine seasons for the team and remains the club's career sacks leader with 78½.

He was instrumental in the establishment of South Florida's football program, which the school started from scratch in the 1990's. The Bulls began play in Conference USA last season and are scheduled to move into the Big East when that league expands.

NCAA reverses field on Argentine transfer

TALLAHASSEE — The eligibility of Argentine basketball player Diego Romero of Florida State was restored by the NCAA on Monday.

His reinstatement was announced by the school, and a decision on whether he will play this season or take a redshirt year has not been made. Romero was traveling with the team, which lost 53-48 Tuesday night at Clemson.

Romero, a junior college transfer, missed 15 games after being declared ineligible by the NCAA for what it termed an amateurism violation, leading to a vigorous protest from Florida State athletic director Dave Hart.

Florida State contended all along he should have been exempted under the rules in place when he began playing basketball at a Texas junior college.

The NCAA management council, which met Sunday at the group's convention in Nashville, Tenn., said athletes enrolled in any college before Aug. 1 will be evaluated under the previous standard. The rule was made stricter in October 2002, increasing the maximum penalty for amateurism violations to 28 games.

In November, the NCAA told Florida State that Romero "compromised his amateur status" by signing two pro contracts in Argentina to receive $2,400 in living expenses. The school argued he didn't intend to become a pro athlete.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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