News and Notes from East Carolina, Conference USA and Beyond

PREVIOUS NUGGETS

04.22.06: Apparent West Virginia spy nabbed at Marshall ... Veteran guard plans to leave Georgia Tech ... ECU's tennis seasons end

04.21.06: UNCW coaching search gathers Moss ... ECU women advance in C-USA tennis ... NCAA examining prep diploma mills

04.20.06: Deacs to install FieldTurf at Groves Stadium ... Zags' Morrison headed to NBA ... Walberg to guide Pepperdine hoops program

04.19.06: Krog leads Pirates to C-USA women's golf title ... UConn sophomore opts for NBA ... Another UConn cager eyes different pro route

04.18.06: Two Duke lacrosse players reportedly indicted ... ECU leads C-USA women's golf ... Tar Heels ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball

04.17.06: Pirate track team has success in Knoxville ... ECU's Salisbury wins women's javelin ... FSU's Johnson will examine NBA option

04.16.06: Houston Bowl payouts not yet fulfilled ... Simmons looking at NBA draft status ... More apparent rejections for Wolfpack

04.15.06: Calipari signs new contract with Tigers ... UAB's Davis selects staff ... NBA D- League lowers minimum age

04.14.06: Dooley withdraws from consideration at UNCW ... Redick wins Sullivan Award ... Young's death now believed accidental

04.13.06: Sooners name Capel cage coach ... Bradshaw gives back to alma mater ... Little Leaguers to have their day at ECU ... New Buckeyes threads fuel backlash

04.12.06: Calipari reportedly remaining at Memphis ... U of M grants raise, contract extension to West ... 'Bama booster killed, son in custody

04.11.06: ECU's Smith is Johnny Bench Award candidate ... Calipari visits Wolfpack ... Barnes stays but Texas star headed to NBA ... Temple names in-town successor to Chaney

04.10.06: Memphis AD focusing on keeping Calipari ... Frasure leads Pirates at Clemson ... Hodge recovering from gunshot wounds

04.09.06: Holtz laments spring game deficiencies ... Camels announce return to the gridiron ... Gonzalez to lead Pirates basketball ... The Citadel selects Conroy

04.08.06: Purple-Gold stage is set ... Davis returns to native state as UAB coach ... Army women's basketball coach dies at age 28

04.07.06: 1070 airing Purple-Gold Game programming ... SMU dismisses Tubbs ... Tulane hoops star invited to Portsmouth event ... Colorado College becomes C-USA women's soccer affiliate

04.06.06: Pirates hold final session before Purple-Gold ... Pressler resigns as Duke lacrosse coach ... Division I athletes face summer drug tests

04.05.06: Thirteen C-USA alums in big leagues ... UAB interviews Davis ... Rondo departs Kentucky

04.04.06: ECU hurler Taylor earns league's weekly honor ... Pirates prepare for Purple- Gold Game ... Wooden watches final from hospital

04.03.06: Bruins go for record 12th NCAA hoops title ... Throng watches Texas spring game ... Pirates make strong showing in Florida

04.02.06: Sendek may become a Sun Devil ... Brownell departs UNCW for Wright State ... San Diego State star opts for NBA

04.01.06: J.P., ECU air game in high gear ... Jury awards no dough in suit against Petrino ... Redick reaps AP player of the year honor ... Lightning strikes Tigers twice

A pair of Conference USA relief pitchers are among the closers on the midseason watch list for the second annual NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award.

Daniel Best of Southern Mississippi, one of the five finalists for last year's inaugural award, and Central Florida closer Dominic Petracca are among the 30 nominees announced by the award's sponsor, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Through April 20, Best had seen action in 17 games for Southern Miss this season, pitching 31 1/3 innings, including a season-long 7 innings of relief in a win last Sunday vs. Houston. A 2005 All-American, he went into this weekend's games with a 4-1 record, a 1.42 ERA and tied for the conference lead in saves with eight.

Petracca has sensational for the Golden Knights in 2006. The Sanford, FL, native entered the weekend 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 19 appearances. In 28 1/ innings of work, Petracca had totaled eight saves along with 27 strikeouts and just two walks. He was tied with Best for first in C-USA with eight saves.

While East Carolina and Marshall were able to outlast Saturday's wet weather to get in a complete — albeit delayed — game at soggy Clark-LeClair Stadium, Atlantic Coast Conference neighbors North Carolina State and North Carolina were forced to suspend their extra-inning game in Chapel Hill.

The second contest of a three-game series between the No. 7 Wolfpack and No. 1 Tar Heels at Boshamer Stadium was stopped in the top of the 12th inning with the score 2-2 due to heavy rain and lightning in the area.

State had a runner in scoring position at second with one out when the game was put into limbo. The teams will finish the contest starting at noon Sunday, followed by the final game of the series.

The Florida football program completed the 2006 spring season by playing the annual Orange and Blue Debut in front of 45,200 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Orange Team defeated the Blue Team 24-6, according to the university's athletic web site.

Orange quarterback Tim Tebow had a stellar debut in the contest, orchestrating a pair of scoring drives in the first half of play en route to leading the Orange to a 10-0 lead at the intermission.

Darryon Robinson intercepted a pass during the Blue Team’s opening drive, allowing Tebow to capitalize on the turnover by completing five consecutive passes.

Tebow completed 15-of-21 passes for 197 yards and totaled 17 yards on 11 rushes, while returning starter Chris Leak (17-of-33) passed for 145 yards.

The Gators will open their 2006 campaign against Southern Miss on Sept. 2 in Gainesville.

UCLA sophomore starting guards and first-team All-Pac-10 performers, Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar, will make themselves eligible for the upcoming NBA draft, but will not hire an agent, keeping the door open for their return to UCLA as juniors in 2006-07.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from other sources. Copyright 2006 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.