Memphis Tigers News Archives

April 2006

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04/30/06		Tiger Baseball Sweeps Mississippi Valley State 13-3, 13-5 -- Tigers look to get back on winning track (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Game One Mississippi Valley State (23-24) 200 000 01 - 3 7 2 Memphis (22-21) 017 120 02 - 13 15 1 The University of Memphis baseball team pounded out 36 hits and scored 26 runs en route to a doubleheader sweep of Mississippi Valley State Sunday afternoon at Nat Buring Stadium. The Tigers used an overwhelming seven run third inning to breeze to a 13-3 seven-inning win in the opener. Mississippi Valley State posted two runs in the first inning, but it was all Memphis from then on. The Tigers got on the board in the second when Kyle Norrid drove a double to the left center gap and scored on a sac fly by Joey Lieberman. A leadoff homer by K.K. Chalmers and a grand slam from Ben Grisham highlighted a seven-run third to give the Tigers an 8-2 cushion. Memphis sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame. The Tigers crossed a run in the fourth and got a two-run blast from Will Petersen in the fifth to go up 11-2. The U of M answered a seventh-inning tally by the Delta Devils with a pair of unearned runs to end the game 13-3. Drew Jaudon picked up the win for Memphis after tossing two innings of scoreless relief. Petersen led the 15-hit attack with a 3-for-3 effort. Chalmers, Adam Amar, Michael Murray and Grisham had two hits each. Game Two Mississippi Valley State (23-25) 200 001 110 - 5 5 1 Memphis (23-21) 302 141 20X - 13 21 2 The nightcap started off in the same fashion as the first game, with MVSU jumping on top 2-0 on an infield fielding error and a wild pitch. However, Memphis erased the early deficit in the bottom half of the inning on a three-run bomb off the bat of Bill Moss. Memphis added two more scores in the third and another in the fourth, before opening the contest up with four tallies in the fifth for a 10-2 advantage. A two-run homer from Jordan Tolliver made it 13-4 in the home half of the seventh. Tolliver went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. The Tiger offense posted 21 hits in the win. Petersen, Norrid, Trey Wiedman and Alex Fennell joined Tolliver with three hits. Chalmers, who had two stolen bases, and Moss had two hits. Freshman Scott McGregor was the winner for Memphis. He struck out three in three innings. Five other Tiger hurlers held MVSU to three hits through the remainder of the contest. Memphis will return to the diamond on Friday when it opens a three-game Conference USA series with UAB.

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04/30/06		Softball Drops Home Finale To Marshall, 3-1 -- Kubesch posts solid effort in circle, but Lady Tiger offense held in check (GoTigersGo.com)
		Marshall (31-22; 15-9 C-USA) 201 000 0 - 3 4 0 Memphis (27-24; 9-11 C-USA) 000 000 0 - 1 2 2 SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - Jenna Kubesch allowed just four hits and three runs to a powerful Marshall offense, but Thundering Herd hurler Abigail Harter was even better, holding the Lady Tigers to one run on two hits, as the U of M dropped its final home game of the season, 3-1, Sunday at Greenbrook Park. Marshall scored two runs in the first and added another in the third to take a 3-0 advantage, and that was more than enough for Harter, who allowed just one run in the bottom of the sixth and took the complete-game victory. "Marshall is a great team and Abigail Harter pitched an outstanding ballgame," said Coach Windy Thees. "She knew what we wanted to hit and put it almost there, but never gave us the really good pitches to hit." The Thundering Herd came out of the box quick against Kubesch, plating a pair of runs on three hits to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Ashley Mitchell drew a walk and Rachel Folden doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. Jessica Williams then had a RBI single up the middle to score Mitchell, before Samantha Rodriguez plated Folden on a one-bagger through the left side. Memphis had one of its few true opportunities to score in the bottom of the second, putting runners on second and third with two outs. But Folden caught Bridgette McNulty too far off the base at third to end the threat. After getting Marshall out of the jam on defense, Folden came right back to give the Herd a three-run advantage in the top of the third as she hit her 18th homerun of the season to leftcenter, tying the C-USA record homers in a season. Following the three early runs, Kubesch settled down and held Marshall in check, not allowing a hit after the third inning. However, the Lady Tiger bats could never find an answer for Harter, as they could just manage just the one run in the bottom of the sixth. Leila Dolfo claimed the lone Memphis RBI, ripping a double to centerfield to score pinch-runner Brittany Gooch all the way from first and make the score 3-1. "We really asked a lot of Jenna this weekend in starting all three games, and she performed tremendously," said Thees. "We played well on defense too, but just couldn't get the big hits when we needed them." Memphis displayed some outstanding defensive plays on the day, with Lindsey Pridgen laying out for a highlight-reel catch in rightcenter and Dolfo making several tough plays from deep in the hole at shortstop. The Lady Tigers also had several chances to score, putting runners on base in five of seven innings. But they could bring just the one plateward, as Dolfo's double and a single by McNulty to lead off the second were the only hits the U of M could muster. Harter worked the full seven innings, giving up the one earned run, to move to 15-9 on the season. Kubesch was handed her second loss of the series and falls to 12-11 on the year after allowing the three earned runs and fanning five. With the loss, Memphis drops to 27-24 on the campaign and 9-11 in C-USA, while Marshall improves to 31-22 overall and 15-9 in league play. The U of M loss was made even more taxing by an East Carolina sweep over Southern Miss on the weekend, which allowed the Pirates to overtake Memphis by a half game for the sixth spot in the league standings. The Lady Tigers now sit in seventh-place, a half game behind both ECU and Southern Miss, with all three teams having three games left to play. On the bright side, however, should there be a tie in the standings, Memphis does hold tiebreakers over the Pirates and the Golden Eagles, after taking 2-1 series wins over both teams earlier in the season. The Lady Tigers will attempt to play their way into the Conference USA Tournament in their inaugural season next weekend when they wrap up the regular-season slate with a three-game series at Houston.

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04/30/06		Stephen Gostkowski Drafted in the Fourth Round By New England -- U of M record holder is first kicker selected in 2006 NFL Draft (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - University of Memphis kicker Stephen Gostkowski was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He was the first kicker selected in the draft, and was the 118th pick. Gostkowski, who is the first Tiger kicker ever to be drafted, joins fellow C-USA opponent Garrett Mills, a tight end from Tulsa University, who also was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round. U of M tailback DeAngelo Williams was drafted by Carolina in the first round on Saturday, marking the first time since 2003 that two Tigers had been drafted. A native of Madison, Miss., Gostkowski was named the 2005 C-USA Special Teams Player of the Year after hitting 22 of 25 field goals and all 35 of his PATs this past season. A Lou Groza Award candidate the last two seasons, Gostkowski was named to the first-team All-C-USA squad in 2004 and 2005. He holds C-USA and U of M records in scoring with 369 points, PATs with 159 and field goals with 70. "I am extremely proud that Stephen was drafted in the fourth round," said Head Coach Tommy West. "He has worked very hard to get to this point, and it is paying off for him. I can't express enough just how happy I am for he and his family today." Gostkowski finished the 2005 season ranked fifth nationally in field goals made per game and 26th in scoring. He hit 136 of his last 137 PATs, including his last 48 consecutive attempts. Gostkowski ended his career ranked 13th all-time in NCAA history in scoring by kickers with his 369 points, and tied for 14th all-time in field goals made with 70. In the last two years, Gostkowski was 18-of-19 from 40 or more yards. He hit all three of his field goal attempts of 50-plus yards in 2005, including a school-record 53 yarder in the season finale against Marshall. Following the Motor City Bowl in which he kicked field goals of 32, 25 and 50 yards, Gostkowski participated in the 2006 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Gostkowski originally came to Memphis on a baseball scholarship, and has continued to work as a two-sport athlete at the U of M. He has been a starter and a relief pitcher on the mound, and currently leads the Tigers in strikeouts with 35.

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04/30/06		To DeAngelo, it's sweet Carolina from now on (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact April 30, 2006 In the end, DeAngelo Williams said, it was worth the wait. Worth another year at the University of Memphis. Worth nearly four months of competing in a sport called the NFL Draft that at times barely resembles football. Even worth watching 26 players go before him in the first round of Saturday's NFL Draft, including two other running backs. After 4 1/2 hours, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue walked to the podium at New York City's Radio City Music Hall and told the world what Williams and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, had known for nearly 10 minutes -- the Carolina Panthers were taking Williams with the 27th pick in the draft. "This is beautiful, man," Williams told the Charlotte media. "This is the best place I could have ever been. "I'm definitely excited and I don't regret anything," Williams told the Memphis media -- and a horde of family, friends and fans who had assembled at a sports bar in Cordova. "I'm a Carolina Panther and I love their colors." ESPN's Chris Berman greeted the pick with a phrase uttered by many Memphians since Williams signed with the Tigers in February of 2002: "I love this kid." The "kid," it turns out, loves his new team. Loves the colors. Loves the geography. Loves the offense, the already strong tradition and the quarterback and receivers, too. He does not yet know the offensive linemen who will block for him. "No," he said, "but I'm gonna get to know 'em." Watching the draft alone at his apartment, Williams traded phone calls with Sexton at the offices of Athletic Resource Management in East Memphis. All day long, Sexton had tracked information that the Houston Texans, having chosen N.C. State defensive end Mario Williams with the No. 1 overall pick instead of USC running back Reggie Bush, wanted to trade into the 20s and take his client. After New England opted for bigger, more physical Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney over Williams at No. 21, other teams jumped into the Williams derby. At one point, six teams were talking to the Chicago Bears about trading for their first-round slot, at No. 26 and just ahead of Carolina. Three of those teams -- Houston, Carolina and Indianapolis -- all wanted DeAngelo. When Buffalo won the bidding, it became clear the Panthers would take Williams. The Panthers called Williams while Buffalo, which took N.C. State defensive tackle John McCargo, was still technically on the clock. Carolina declared its choice immediately. "We were hoping two or three picks before that that he would get to us," said Carolina GM Marty Hurney. "When he did, we were thrilled." There is much for Williams to love about his new home, and not just because, as he said Saturday, he could keep drinking sweet tea in Charlotte. Carolina's offense is based around the run, and injury problems last year forced the Panthers to use a fourth-string running back after advancing to the NFC Championship. Carolina played in the 2004 Super Bowl, narrowly losing to New England. Carolina coach John Fox said there was much to like about Williams, who joins regulars DeShaun Foster (who is oft injured) and Eric Shelton (a bruising back who did not play at all as a rookie) in the Panthers backfield. Williams became the No. 4 all-time leading rusher in NCAA Division 1 history and was just the fourth back in history to exceed 6,000 yards. He is the NCAA Division 1 all-time career leader in all-purpose yardage and yards per carry. Fox mentioned his new back's vision and compared him in style to Barry Sanders, if not substance. One thing is clear: Williams will not wear No. 20, his college and Sanders' old number. That belongs to defensive back Chris Gamble, so Williams said he would go back to No. 34, the number he wore at Wynne (Ark.) High. Panthers minicamp starts in a week. Contract negotiations will also commence immediately. Last year's No. 27 pick, UAB receiver Roddy White, got a signing bonus of $4.5 million and a five-year contract worth a base of $7.5 million and incentives of $2.5 million more. With the new salary cap, Williams will command a contract worth 10-20 percent more in all areas. "I start playing football now," Williams said. "I've been out of work for 41/2 years, I guess, and I finally got a job." Anything he wants to say to his new fans? "Yeah," he said, "get the sweet tea ready." -- Zack McMillin: 529-2564

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04/29/06		Softball Earns Split With Game-Two Win Over Marshall -- Lady Tigers fight through rain delay to win, 7-2, after dropping game one, 9-5 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Marshall (30-21; 14-8 C-USA) 006 120 0 - 9 17 0 Memphis (26-23; 8-10 C-USA) 004 001 0 - 5 7 1 Marshall (30-22; 14-9 C-USA) 000 020 0 - 2 7 1 Memphis (27-23; 9-10 C-USA) 103 300 x - 7 9 0 SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - On a day when the weather played nearly as large a role as the players on the field, the Memphis softball team fought through the elements and the Thundering Herd of Marshall to win game two of a double-header at Greenbrook Park and earn a split of the C-USA twinbill. The Lady Tigers rebounded to win the second game of the day, 7-2, after dropping game one 9-5. "I hate that we had to play under such terrible conditions," said Coach Windy Thees. "I felt like the weather had a lot to do with both wins, and both teams are better than we were able to show today." The U of M and Marshall battled 20-30 mph winds, periodic rain and eventually a 56 minute weather delay, but managed to complete both games, with each team picking up a win. The Thundering Herd posted a six-run third inning and pounded out 17 total hits in game one en route to the 9-5 victory, which gave the Lady Tigers their first defeat of the year when scoring more than four runs. The U of M, however, came up with two big innings of its own in game two, plating three runs each in the third and fourth frames, while Jenna Kubesch kept a high-powered Marshall offense at least semi-silent on the way to the win. "Jenna threw her heart out in game two, and we came up with some big hits," said Thees. "We just have to find some more gas in the tank and come out strong against a great Marshall team again tomorrow." Memphis got on the board first in the second game of the day, as Leila Dolfo ripped a one-out double to leftcenter in the bottom of the first to score Cara Stiles and give the U of M a 1-0 lead. The Lady Tigers began another threat in the top of the third, putting runners on first and second with no outs before a rain and wind combination suspended the game for 56 minutes. Following the rain delay, though, the U of M went right back to work, as Bridgette McNulty lined a one-out double to leftcenter to plate Stiles, and put Memphis up 2-0. Kara Ross then shot a two-RBI single to leftcenter to score Kimmi Hayden and McNulty to put the U of M on top 4-0. The Lady Tigers plated three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-0 advantage. Hayden had a RBI double down the leftfield line to score Leandra Hines. Stiles scored on a passed ball, and Hayden came home on a single by Dolfo. Marshall cut the lead to 7-2 in the top of the fifth, as Sara Spenia singled and Amanda Williams doubled and both scored on a two-RBI double by Ashley Mitchell. But Kubesch shut the Herd down from there, retiring the final eight batters she faced to improve her record to 12-10 on the season. The junior allowed seven hits and the two earned runs while striking out four. Veronica Ralston was handed the loss for Marshall, and falls to 13-13 on the campaign. Ross and Dolfo each had two hits and two RBI to lead the U of M at the dish in game two, while Hayden added two hits of her own and picked up one RBI. The first game of the day appeared as if it might be a low scoring affair with the squads locked in a scoreless tie through two innings before the floodgates broke loose in the third. Marshall seemed to take control of the contest in the top half of the inning, plating six runs on seven hits. Samantha Rodriguez had a two-RBI single, while Amanda Williams, Rachel Folden, Jessica Williams and Spenia each registered a RBI one-bagger. The Lady Tigers would not go easily, however, plating four runs in the bottom half of the third to cut the deficit to two. Ross dealt the big blow with a two-run homerun to right field, while Dolfo had a RBI single and McNulty had a RBI double. Marshall expanded the lead back to 7-4 in the top of the fourth, picking up four singles in a row to start the frame, but managing just the one run. Nicki Johnson, who relieved Kubesch in the circle in the third, used back-to-back strikeouts and a flyout to work out of the bases-loaded jam. The Herd then put the game away in the top of the fifth, plating two runs to take a 9-4 advantage. Folden picked up both RBI on a single that scored Amanda Williams and Mitchell. McNulty cut into the Marshall lead in the bottom of the fifth, leading off the frame with her 10th homerun of the season, a solo blast to left. But that would be the last threat for the Memphis offense, as Marshall took the 9-5 victory. McNulty led the Lady Tigers at the plate in game one going 2-for-2 with a homer, a double, and two RBI, while five additional Lady Tigers added a hit each. Kubesch took the loss in the circle, allowing four earned runs on four hits in just 2.1 innings of work, while Johnson gave up five earned runs on 13 hits in 4.2 innings of relief. Abigail Harter took the win for Marshall to improve to 14-9 on the year. The Herd recorded 17 hits in the contest, with Joscelyn Bitner going 4-for-4, Jessica Williams and Amanda Williams going 3-for-4 and Rachel Folden going 3-for-5 to lead the way. With the split, Memphis moves to 27-23 on the season and 9-10 in C-USA, while Marshall goes to 30-22 overall and 14-9 in league play. Weather permitting, the Lady Tigers and Thundering Herd are slated to wrap up the three-game series with a single game Sunday at 12 p.m. at Greenbrook Park. Jeff Brightwell will have all of the action on the U of M's campus radio station, WUMR 91.7.

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04/29/06		Tiger Baseball Rained out -- Tigers and Delta Devils to play doubleheader Sunday at Noon (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Due to inclement weather in the Memphis area, the University of Memphis baseball team's make up game versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff has been canceled. The Tigers will now play a doubleheader with Mississippi Valley State tomorrow, with the first pitch for the first game set for Noon. The Delta Devils were scheduled to play Arkansas-Pine Bluff this afternoon at 1 p.m., but also fell victim to rain.

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04/29/06		DeAngelo Williams Drafted By Carolina Panthers in First Round (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - University of Memphis tailback DeAngelo Williams was drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft today by the Carolina Panthers. He was the 27th pick of the draft, and the third running back chosen. Williams, a three-time C- USA Offensive Player of the Year, holds the NCAA all-time record in all-purpose yards with 7,573. He also holds the NCAA record in career 100-yard rushing games with 34. Williams rushed for 1,964 yards last season and captured the NCAA season rushing title after averaging 178.55 yards per game. "Today, I am very proud and happy for DeAngelo and his family," said Coach Tommy West. "He has meant a great deal to the program over the last four years, and I am very happy for him." A native of Wynne, Ark., Williams is Memphis' first, first-round pick since Jerome Woods was selected as the 28th pick of the draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Since 1951, the Tigers have now had six players drafted in the first round, including Williams (27th; 2006), Woods (28th; 1996), Derrick Burroughs (14th; 1985), Keith Simpson (9th; 1978), Bob Rush (24th; 1977) and Harry Schuh (1965). Derrick Crawford was selected as the 24th pick in the 1984 supplemental draft. Williams holds all-time Tiger records in rushing yards (6,026), rushing attempts (969), rushing touchdowns (55) and all-purpose yards, as well as multiple season rushing records. His 6,026 career rushing yards also ranks him fourth in NCAA history. This past season, Williams was named an All-American by the American Football Coaches Association, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Associated Press and Playboy. He was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, and was also presented the inaugural ARA Sportsmanship Award. A 2005 Heisman Trophy candidate, Williams rushed for more than 200 yards in nine career games, including a 238-yard effort in the Motor City Bowl. He was named the MVP of the Motor City Bowl after helping Memphis to a 38-31 victory over Akron. Williams was also named the Offensive MVP of the 2006 Senior Bowl.

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04/29/06		Tough work starting for Tigers' Carney -- Player working diligently on improving NBA skills (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact April 29, 2006 The final workout of a five-day stretch began with an unconventional exercise. Rodney Carney grabbed the end of a blue tarp and walked, looking more like someone preparing for a rain delay than the NBA draft. Pull the tarp? Must be a new technique, right? Must've read about it somewhere, no? Actually, it was nothing more than a necessity. A tarp from a Thursday night function still covered the court at the Finch Center on Friday afternoon. And since you can't take a 3-pointer when you can't see the 3-point line, Carney's day began with a peeling, of sorts, that enabled the former University of Memphis standout to put in another 90-minute workout with Wayne Hall, otherwise known as the personal trainer of Rockets star Tracy McGrady. "He's been working me hard," Carney said. "I've never worked this hard in my life." Rodney Carney is destined to be a pro. There were times when this seemed in doubt, like when he enrolled at Memphis as an unheralded prospect. But there he was Friday in an isolated gym talking like a pro and training like a pro, having signed with a sports agency, Octagon, based just outside Washington, D.C., that manages plenty of other young pros, among them Chris Paul (Hornets), Kirk Hinrich (Bulls) and Francisco Garcia (Kings). "I talked to Chris Paul, and he had nothing but good things to say about them," Carney said explaining his choice of agency. "I just sensed they were the right people for me. It's where I needed to go." In many cases, it's only a few seconds after a prospect signs with an agent that he requests a line of credit and purchases that first house or car (or houses and cars). But Carney said he hasn't bothered with anything on that level and won't any time soon. "I'm just concentrating on getting better," Carney said. "I'm not worried about any house or car right now. I just want to get better." To do that, Carney will head to Houston next week, where he will remain the subsequent three weeks and continue his training sessions with Hall. Some others scheduled to participate are McGrady, Luther Head (Rockets) and JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State). "Rodney needs to work on his change of direction, getting stronger for the NBA game and creativity. He just needs to be a more creative basketball player," said Hall, who has been with McGrady since the NBA All-Star's prep days at Mt. Zion Academy in North Carolina. "Fundamentally, I've been impressed with Rodney, and it takes a lot to impress me because I've worked with a lot of athletes. But I've been impressed. He has a lot of similarities to Tracy." Among them, not being a college graduate (McGrady turned pro out of high school). But Carney said when this semester is completed he'll be just a project and one class short of his degree, something he plans to finish online within the next year. "I'm going to get that done for me," Carney promised. "That's an accomplishment nobody will ever be able to take away." While Carney said he has been invited to participate in the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando next month, he plans only to attend and not play. The idea is that his status as a probable lottery pick is secure and not worth risking in that atmosphere. As for his former Tiger teammates also trying to turn pro, Carney expressed optimism both sophomore Darius Washington and freshman Shawne Williams can make it. Like many others, he said he believes "Darius is gone" and is not considering returning to school under any circumstances. But Carney said he spoke with Williams recently and offered some advice that could perhaps lead the Hamilton High product back to college so long as he maintains his amateur status. "I talked with Shawne the other day, and he said he just wants to test the waters," Carney said. "I just told him to be careful and go out there and do what you can do. And then if you feel it's not going right, then come back (to school)." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

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04/29/06		Tiger Notes: Golf, Softball, Tennis, Baseball, Football (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact April 29, 2006 Freshman golfer offers hope for next season -- Benjamin found game at C-USA tournament So who is Brad Benjamin? The University of Memphis freshman golfer, who had participated in one event before this week's Conference USA Tournament in West Point, Miss., needed only three rounds at Old Waverly Golf Club to make a name for himself. Benjamin, a slight-of-build lefthander from Rockford, Ill., qualified during team competition for the C-USA Tournament and made a determined run at the individual title. He shot 7-under 209 to finish third and was the only Tiger to finish under par. SMU's Will Dodson won the event with a 13-under 203, but needed a final-round 65 to pull away from Benjamin, who trailed by only two strokes after 36 holes. Benjamin, ranked 40th in the Golfweek junior amateur rankings coming out of high school, said he wasn't surprised by his solid spring debut. "I've been playing bad all year, but knew I could shoot these kinds of scores," Benjamin said. "It was just a matter of playing well consistently, which I hadn't been doing." Benjamin, who had rounds of 83-77-77 in his only fall event, opened with a 67 to trail the leaders (teammate Keven Fortin-Simard and SMU's Colt Knost) by one stroke. He closed with a 3-under 69 and was one of only 10 golfers to break 70 in the final round. "I just liked the course, to tell you the truth," Benjamin said. "There's not a whole lot of pressure off the tee. The strength of my game is my iron play and my putting. And my putting was pretty good." Tiger coach Grant Robbins said Benjamin went through a difficult adjustment period in college. But Benjamin fought through it. "Coach knows my game, and it was just a long struggle," Benjamin said. "I knew it was a matter of just shooting the (lower) numbers to qualify, like anyone else on the team ... I finally did it. "I shot a couple of rounds under par in the practice rounds (for the C-USA Tournament). I know I can play this good. I've done it before." Robbins hopes Benjamin's success carries over into next season. Fortin-Simard, a sophomore from Canada, is considering turning pro. "For a freshman to come in there and do what he did, I'm really proud of him," Robbins said. "It didn't surprise me he could play that well because he is a top 40 recruit. I knew he had the talent. He just had a tough time adjusting to college golf and the qualifying process. He got frustrated and down on himself because he wasn't playing well. But he kept at it, and the last two weeks he has played as well as anyone on this team." Odds and ends The Lady Tiger softball team will play the final home games of its inaugural season when it plays host to Marshall in a three-game Conference USA series beginning today at Greenbrook Softball Complex in Southaven, Miss. ... Lady Tiger golfer Stacey Tate should learn Monday if she's been selected as an at-large invitee into the NCAA Regionals. Tate, a New Zealand native, put herself in position by winning three of the final five events the Lady Tigers played. ... Two members of the men's tennis team earned all-conference recognition Friday. Senior James Spence was a second-team pick in singles in addition to being named all-league in doubles with partner Sam Withell. Spence and Withell are ranked 41st nationally in doubles. ... The Tiger baseball team plays Arkansas-Pine Bluff today at 5 p.m. and Mississippi Valley State Sunday at 1 p.m. in games added to the schedule to replace two against Ohio University canceled by inclement weather the first weekend of the season. ... The new Birmingham Bowl will match a C-USA team against a Big East opponent and be played Dec. 23 at Legion Field. The additional bowl gives C-USA the potential for seven tie-ins: AutoZone Liberty, GMAC, New Orleans, Fort Worth, Hawaii, Houston and Birmingham. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

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04/29/06		DeAngelo's day has finally arrived (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact April 29, 2006 Where's DeAngelo going? What NFL team will automatically become the most loved NFL franchise by thousands of Memphians? What hue of red, blue, black or teal will color jerseys worn all over the city, with a big "WILLIAMS" on the back? It depends on whether you believe in a mother's intuition or Mel Kiper Jr. Sandra Hill, the woman who gave DeAngelo Williams his smile and charisma, has become something of an NFL Draft fanatic over the last three months, and she has her own opinion about where her son will be picked in today's first round. Hill says it's going to be the Indianapolis Colts trading up to take Williams, who set numerous school, conference and NCAA rushing records in his four years at the University of Memphis. If not that, it's going to be the San Francisco 49ers. If not the 49ers, then the New York Jets. Kiper, the NFL draftnik who has not hidden his affection for Williams, has the 5-9 running back going at No. 21, to the New England Patriots. Ditto for the mock draft compiled by two of ESPN's top NFL reporters, John Clayton and Len Pasquarelli. "Williams is a steal at this juncture," Pasquarelli wrote on ESPN.com. That seems to be the prevailing opinion, that Williams may be one of the top 15 players in the draft, but because of team needs, he will slip into the 20s. Or, according to Sports Illustrated, anyway, completely out of the first round. Jimmy Sexton, Williams' agent with Memphis-based Athletic Resource Management, said his office has spent most of the week talking to teams with picks 15 through 30. "We spent hours and hours and hours," Sexton said. "We're trying to figure out what they are thinking. You are not going to convince anyone to take your player at this point. They've spent millions of dollars researching it. You may answer some questions for them." Williams, who hosted a party on Friday night at a dance club, declared himself unworried about where he might land. "I'm staying away from the speculations," Williams said. "People think it's the day before the draft and I know where I'm going. I don't. I'm also not going to spend all day tomorrow speculating. I'll just get the call, and I'll probably be playing a video game or listening to the draft." As he did in his college career, when he became only the fourth back in history to exceed 6,000 yards rushing, Williams met or exceeded expectations during the nearly four-month draft process. At the Senior Bowl in January, he performed well all week, on the field and off, while being coached by the 49ers staff. At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Williams hit a new personal best on his bench press and dazzled the national NFL writers encountering him for the first time. At the UofM's pro day in March, Williams ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash despite chilly weather and swirling wind. Yet, he has dropped in most mock drafts mainly because of the shifting needs of teams in the draft's top 20. Before the free agency period, it appeared that the Arizona Cardinals at No. 10 or the Baltimore Ravens at 13 might want to take the second running back in the draft (USC Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush will be the first), but Arizona signed Edgerrin James away from Indianapolis, and the Ravens retained Jamal Lewis. This is not necessarily bad news. As Sandra Hill points out, it would mean her son would have a much better shot at going to a playoff team and possibly winning rookie of the year. Some mock drafts have him slipping all the way to the Colts, which would be just fine with former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning. "He would look excellent in a Colts uniform, but I'm afraid he might not be available where we're drafting at No. 30. I sure hope he's available," Manning told the Nashville City Paper. "Edgerrin James is a guy, out of respect to him, that I don't even think you can try to replace. You just try to adjust as best you can. I think DeAngelo Williams is going to be a big-time NFL back, and I'd sure love to see him playing for the Colts." As the mother will also tell you, many of the best players in NFL history have gone late in the first round, while some of the biggest disappointments have gone in the top 10. And the way DeAngelo's mother explains it makes a lot more sense than many of the things ESPN's crew will say today. "It's just like watermelons in a watermelon patch," she said. "You can't look and say, 'That is the sweetest watermelon in the patch.' You actually have to cut open a couple. One is sweet, one is sweeter and one is the sweetest. "Now, you will find people thump watermelons and think they know. They don't. And that's what this whole process has been, a lot of watermelon thumping." -- Zack McMillin: 529-2564 -------------------- NFL DRAFT Today: Rounds 1-3 -- 11 a.m.-7 p.m., ESPN; and 7-9 p.m., ESPN2 Sunday: Rounds 4-7 -- 10 a.m.-5 p.m., ESPN Check commercialappeal.com or TheMemphisEdge.com/ for updates throughout the weekend.

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04/28/06		Men's Tennis Has Two Named to All-Conference Teams -- Spence and Withell named to the doubles team and Spence named to second team in singles (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis had two entries named to the 2006 Conference USA All-Conference teams it was announced by the league office Friday afternoon. Senior James Spence was named to two teams, while sophomore Sam Withell joined Spence on the all-conference doubles team. Spence earned second team honors in singles after going 8-11 in singles and teaming with two different doubles partners to spend the entire season among the country's national rankings in doubles play. Spence, a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, capped his three-year Tiger career with a 43-40 mark in singles while playing primarily in the top three singles slots and a 53-32 mark in doubles. He led the Tigers on the year with eight singles victories, including a 6-4 mark at No. 3. Spence and sophomore Sam Withell were named to the All-Conference Doubles Team. The duo was paired together after Spence lost fall partner Alex Jago to a season-ending wrist injury after climbing all the way up to No. 8 in the country in men's doubles. When Withell rejoined the Tigers from his native Australia in January, he was matched with Spence in the top doubles spot, and the tandem combined for a 12-4 record, capping their season the No. 41 ranked team in the country. The duo still awaits a slight chance that they receive an at-large entry into the NCAA Championships, which will be announced next week. Memphis has had at least one entry named to the All-Conference Team for six of the last seven seasons, including Spence earning Third Team honors in singles last year. The Tigers will hold their first-ever camp for junior tennis players in Memphis next weekend at the University of Memphis courts. For more information on the camp, contact Assistant Coach Lee Taylor Walker at 901-678-5309.

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04/28/06		Tiger Baseball Hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State in Non-Conference Weekend -- Tigers look to get back on winning track (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis baseball team will makeup its two canceled games against Ohio this weekend when it hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State in a pair of weekend contests. On Sat., April 29, the Tigers will face UAPB in the twinbill of a doubleheader. The Golden Lions and the Delta Devils will play the early game at 1p.m., before Memphis and UAPB square off at 5 p.m. The U of M and MVSU play on Sunday at 1 p.m. The weekend's slate of games will replace the originally scheduled season-opening weekend versus Ohio that was canceled due to snow and ice in the Memphis area. The Tigers enter the weekend on a season-long eight-game losing streak. However, those losses have come to strong competition in No. 2 Rice, No. 15 Mississippi State and #19 Houston. Last weekend's series loss at Houston set the Tigers back from third to seventh in the Conference USA standings. The Tiger offense continues to put up impressive numbers, hitting .302 as a team. Adam Amar leads the charge and is currently 39th in the country with a .403 batting average. Memphis leads the league and ranks 26th nationally with 86 doubles. Bill Moss (18) and Will Petersen (16) rank fourth and 30th, respectively in doubles. Sophomore K.K. Chalmers, who has 28 stolen bases, leads the league and is 16th in the nation in stolen bases. He is seventh on Memphis' single-season list. UAPB enters the weekend slate with a 15-29 mark. The Golden Lions have dropped 12-straight contests. In those 12 losses, UAPB has been outscored 123-36. They are averaging three runs per game in the stretch and have been held to two runs or less six times, including a pair of shutouts. Arkansas-Pine Bluff most recently played in a four-game midweek set with Oklahoma State. The Cowboys swept the Golden Lions in a pair of doubleheader on Tuesday and Wednesday. OSU outscored UAPB 54-9 in the series, including a 17-0 rout in the series opener. Memphis and Arkansas-Pine Bluff have only met on the baseball diamond four other times prior to this weekend. Memphis has won all four contests. The series dates back to the 1998 season when Memphis shutout Pine Bluff, 12-0 in the first meeting between the two schools. The Tigers won the second game of the series 4-3. The Tigers raced to a 15-0 and a 12-3 win in the 1999 series. Memphis has outscored the Golden Lions 43-6 in the four-game series, with two shutouts. Mississippi Valley State is currently 23-23 on the year, but is second in the SWAC East division with an 18-6 mark. The Delta Devils got off to slow start, losing the first seven games of the season and battling to a 10-19 record midway through the season. Since the 10-19 mark, MVSU has won 13 of its last 17 contests to even the slate at 23-23. The Delta Devils are hitting .269 as a team, but ranks second in the nation with 180 stolen bases. Zach Penprase leads the team and ranks No. 1 in the nation with 54 stolen bases in 59 attempts. He is also 12th nationally with seven triples. Memphis and Mississippi Valley State have never met on the baseball diamond.

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04/28/06		Softball Hosts Marshall in Final Home Series -- Sixth-place Lady Tigers take on third-place Herd in another critical match-up (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Memphis softball team will again host a critical C-USA match-up this weekend, as the Lady Tigers will try to hold on to sixth place in the league standings when they entertain the Thundering Herd of Marshall in a three-game series Saturday and Sunday at Greenbrook Park. The series will mark the final home games of the season for Memphis, as it finishes the regular season at Houston next weekend. The games will be the final contests of the regular season for Marshall, as it has the final week of the campaign as its off weekend. Marshall comes in to the weekend in third place in Conference USA, with a 13-8 league mark, while sporting a 29-21 overall record. The Thundering Herd is 5-1 in its last six games, with the lone loss coming to Tulsa in the final game of a C-USA series last weekend. The match-up will most likely come down to a battle between a stingy Memphis pitching staff, that boasts a 1.93 team ERA and a .212 opposing batting average, and a high-powered Marshall offense, which has been shut out just twice this season. Marshall is third in Conference USA with a .285 batting average and is led at the plate by C-USA Preseason Player of the Year and All-American candidate Rachel Folden. The sophomore leads the team in batting average (.363) homeruns (17) and RBI (50), with the homer and RBI totals leading C-USA, while her batting average ranks fifth in the league. The U of M will counter with a pair of hurlers, in Jenna Kubesch and Nicki Johnson, who have been extremely tough of late. Kubesch has lowered her team-leading ERA to 1.65, which is good enough for third in the league, while Johnson has slashed her ERA to 1.77 to move into the fifth spot in the conference rankings. On offense, Memphis will look to continue a hot streak, after it posted 14 runs in the final two games of last weekend's East Carolina series and put up 21 hits over the three-game set. Cara Stiles continues to lead the team with a .382 average, but a number of additional Lady Tigers, including Lindsey Pridgen, Kara Ross and Kimmi Hayden have stepped up recently, as each of the aforementioned three blasted homeruns last weekend. The U of M bats will face a Marshall pitching staff that has a combined ERA of 3.36, and has just two hurlers, junior Abigail Harter and senior Veronica Ralston with more than one start on the year. Harter is 13-9 with a 2.66 ERA in 22 starts, while Ralston is 13-12 with a 3.99 ERA in 27 starts. Action between the Thundering Herd and Lady Tigers is scheduled to get underway with a double-header at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday before a single game at 12 p.m. on Sunday. All three games of the series can be heard on the U of M's campus radio station, WUMR 91.7 with Jeff Brightwell on the call.

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04/28/06		C-USA Signs Agreement With Birmingham Bowl (GoTigersGo.com)
		IRVING, TEXAS - Conference USA has reached a four-year agreement with the Birmingham Bowl to provide a team for its annual game beginning with the inaugural 2006 contest. The C-USA representative will play an opponent from the Big East Conference at historic Legion Field, the home of UAB football. The inaugural Birmingham Bowl will be played on Saturday, December 23 and will be televised by ESPN. "We are all very pleased about this bowl opportunity in Birmingham," said Commissioner Britton Banowsky. "Birmingham is important to Conference USA and we are committed to bringing college sporting events to the city. It is particularly helpful to have a game in proximity to many of our members." ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, Inc., will own and operate the Birmingham Bowl and will be responsible for the bowl's organization, operation, sponsorship, marketing efforts and more. UAB will provide marketing, management and game day operations support for the Birmingham Bowl. ESPN Regional Television will assign an executive director to be based in Birmingham. Additional details, including sponsorship, are to be finalized. "We are very pleased to have worked with local officials and businesses to bring a bowl game back to this great college football market, which will provide nationwide exposure for the conferences, schools and players," said Pete Derzis, Vice-President and General Manager of ESPN Regional. "This exciting event will also allow sports fans in the Birmingham community to once again participate in the bowl experience." The Birmingham Bowl marks the return of postseason football to the city of Birmingham. The city previously hosted the Hall of Fame Bowl/All-American Bowl from 1977-1990. Tulane played in the 1980 Hall of Fame Bowl against Arkansas and Brett Favre quarterbacked Southern Miss in the 1990 All-American Bowl vs. North Carolina State as Jeff Bower made his head coaching debut for the Golden Eagles. The champion of Conference USA plays in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis and the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama has the second selection of all remaining C-USA teams. C-USA's other bowl agreements are with the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Fort Worth Bowl (which are both owned and operated by ESPN), the New Orleans Bowl and the Houston Bowl. Conference USA's 11th football season gets underway on Thursday, August 31.

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04/27/06		Senior Student-Athletes Honored At M Club Lunch -- Robyn Smart, Collin Bastien and Heather Woolls received individual awards (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - Senior student-athletes from each sport were honored today at the annual University of Memphis M Club Senior Luncheon hosted at the Fogelman Executive Center. Former Tiger football player Nyrone Hawkins (1988-91) gave a special talk to the athletes about the importance of obtaining a degree. He also reiterated the point that "once you are a Tiger, you are always a Tiger." Three individuals were honored with special awards, as Heather Woolls received the Elma Roane Award, and Robyn Smart and Collin Bastien were honored as Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Woolls is a four-year letterwinner on the women's track and field and cross country teams. After walking on as a freshman in the fall of 2002, the Ripley, Tenn., native has been a key component in the rebuilding of the U of M's women's distance program. Wools specializes in a variety of distance events, including the 800m and 1-mile indoors and the 800m and 1500m outdoors. She will graduate with a degree in microbiology and molecular cell science with a concentration in biotechnology. This summer, she plans to do pharmacology research in Brazil before beginning work on a PhD in chemical biology at the University of Michigan in the fall. Smart, who received the Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, played in 74 games with 45 starts as both a midfielder and defender for the Lady Tiger soccer team. The Noblesville, Ind., native totaled four goals with six assists for 14 points. Smart was a CoSIDA District IV All-Academic First Team selection in both her junior and senior years. She has been a recipient of a Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal three times and a member of the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll three times as well. Smart played in 18 of the Tigers' 19 games as a senior and recorded two assists. Her defense helped the Tigers tie a school record with a 1.19 team goals-against average in 2005. Bastien, who received the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, has played two seasons on the baseball diamond for head coach Daron Schoenrock. A native of DuQuoin, Ill., Bastien has started in 14 of the 29 games he has played in as a Tiger. He has a career .224 average with two doubles, a triple and a home run. He hit his lone home run against Ole Miss at AutoZone Park in 2005. Bastien has seen limited action this year, making just five appearances, all as a reserve. However, he has made the most of his opportunities and is hitting .400 with two runs scored and an RBI.

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04/27/06		Women's Soccer Announces 2006 Schedule -- Five NCAA Tournament teams highlight fall season (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis women's soccer team will play five 2005 NCAA Tournament teams in its 2006 fall season schedule that was announced on Thursday. The Lady Tigers will open their season with two preseason games, including one against 2005 Atlantic 10 champion Saint Louis. The Billikens made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season and are ranked No. 30 in Soccer Buzz's final 2005 national poll. Memphis will play Saint Louis at home at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18. The U of M will also play at Christian Brothers University in a preseason exhibition match-up. For the first time in the program's history, Memphis will host a four-team tournament in September. Participants in the tournament include 2005 Ohio Valley Conference champion Samford along with Alabama and Arkansas State. The Lady Tigers will play Samford, a team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2005, on Saturday, Sept. 2., and then will play Alabama on the following Monday. The Lady Tigers Fall Tournament will coincide with a four-team tournament hosted by the Memphis men's soccer team on Friday and Sunday, providing soccer fans with four-straight days of tournament soccer. In its non-conference schedule, Memphis will play four Southeastern Conference schools (Ole Miss, Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi State), one Missouri Valley Conference School (Missouri State) and two Ohio Valley Conference schools (Southeast Missouri and Samford). Ole Miss is another team that made it to the NCAA Tournament last year and is a team that the Lady Tigers beat 3-0 during the spring. Memphis will conclude its 18-game regular season schedule with nine conference games. Among the Conference USA opponents are three teams that made it to the NCAA Championship in 2005; SMU, Rice and UTEP. 2005 C-USA tournament champion Rice and 2005 regular season co-champion SMU both made it to the second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Tigers will also play at new C-USA affiliate Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 2006 C-USA Tournament will be hosted by SMU in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 1-5. 2006 Memphis Women's Soccer Schedule 8/16 @ CBU (Preseason) Memphis, Tenn. 5 p.m. 8/18 Saint Louis (Preseason) Mike Rose Stadium 7 p.m. 8/25 @ Tennessee Tech Cookeville, Tenn. 4 p.m. 8/27 @ UT Martin Martin, Tenn. 2 p.m. The University of Memphis Lady Tigers Fall Tournament 9/2 Samford vs. Arkansas State Mike Rose Stadium 5 p.m. 9/2 Memphis vs. Alabama Mike Rose Stadium 7:30 p.m. 9/4 Arkansas State vs. Alabama Mike Rose Stadium 11 a.m. 9/4 Memphis vs. Samford Mike Rose Stadium 1:30 p.m. 9/8 @ Mississippi State Starkville, Miss. 7 p.m. 9/10 @ Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. 1 p.m. 9/14 Southeast Missouri Mike Rose Stadium 7 p.m. 9/17 Arkansas Mike Rose Stadium 1 p.m. 9/22 @ Missouri State Springfield, Mo. 7 p.m. 9/29 ECU * Mike Rose Stadium 7 p.m. 10/1 Marshall * Mike Rose Stadium 1 p.m. 10/6 @ UCF * Orlando, Fla. 7 p.m. 10/8 @ Southern Miss * Hattiesburg, Miss. 1 p.m. 10/13 @ Colorado College * Colorado Springs, Colo. 4 p.m. 10/15 @ UTEP * El Paso, Texas 1 p.m. 10/20 Rice * Mike Rose Stadium 7 p.m. 10/22 Houston * Mike Rose Stadium 1 p.m. 10/27 @ UAB * Birmingham, Ala. 7 p.m. 11/1-5 Conference USA Tournament Dallas, Texas

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04/27/06		Tigers falter in C-USA tourney -- Golf team ends up in fourth place after leading (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact April 27, 2006 WEST POINT, Miss. -- There were no scoreboards for the players to monitor during Wednesday's final round of the Conference USA Men's Golf Championships at Old Waverly Golf Club. And there were no updates available from the tournament desk via cell phones or personal digital assistants. In fact, the only way members of the University of Memphis golf team could determine their progress -- and if they were in contention for the tournament title and accompanying NCAA bid -- was by word of mouth. As the five Tiger golfers completed their rounds -- each in different threesomes -- the gradual scoring updates they provided one another yielded a painful revelation: Memphis would not be going to its first NCAA Regional in 18 years. Despite leading the tournament after the first two rounds, the Tigers faltered on the final day, shooting a 3-over 291 for a three-day total of 856. Memphis, which had only one golfer shoot under par, finished fourth behind champion SMU, the nation's 35th-ranked program. SMU closed with a 276 for 845, six strokes better than runnerup Central Florida. No. 24 Tulsa finished third at 853. SMU's Will Dodson won individual honors with a 7-under 65 for 203, five shots better than UCF's Sonny Nimkhum (208) and six better than UofM freshman Brad Benjamin (209), competing in his first tournament of the spring. Unfortunately for the Tigers, their only chance of playing in next month's NCAA Regional was winning the automatic bid that goes to the league's tournament champion. ''We had to have our studs play like studs,'' said Tiger coach Grant Robbins. ''Unfortunately, that didn't happen.'' Tiger sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard, named Wednesday as C-USA's golfer of the year, had an opening-round 66, but followed with 77-74 and finished in a tie for 17th at 217. Robbie Greenwell, another UofM sophomore, had a 2-under 70 Tuesday, but closed with a 2-over 74. Ian Rochester also closed with a 74. ''We had our chances, but we didn't take advantage of them,'' said Fortin-Simard, who is contemplating turning pro. ''We came into (the C-USA championships) after having had a couple of bad tournaments. It wasn't like we were the most confident team coming in. It was a pretty good tournament for us.'' The Tigers' chances of pulling off an upset faded on the back nine. The UofM was 4-under as a team through 15 holes, but shot 7-over on the final three. ''To win championships, you've got to step up at the end,'' Robbins said. A former UofM golfer, Robbins said the Tigers didn't help their chances in Tuesday's second round. ''We really let a lot of shots get away (Tuesday),'' Robbins said. ''Even Keven made a (quadruple-bogey) on the final hole. I was really disappointed because I knew those strokes were going to matter. Instead of having a four- or five-shot lead (going into Wednesday's final round), we were tied (with Houston)." Perhaps the most encouraging development for the Tigers was the emergence of Benjamin, a lefthander from Rockford, Ill., whose play earned him a spot on the all-tournament team. ''He had a solid day ... four birdies and a bogey,'' Robbins said. ''He really stepped up.'' -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

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04/26/06		Men's Golf Finishes Fourth at C-USA Championship -- Benjamin finishes third; Fortin-Simard named C-USA Golfer of the Year (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 WEST POINT, Miss. - After holding a four stroke-lead with Houston heading into the final round of the Conference USA Men's Golf Championship, the University of Memphis could not keep up with SMU on Wednesday. The Mustangs shot a 12-under 276 on the final day to win the tournament by six strokes. The Tigers finished fourth with an 8-under 856, nine shots behind SMU. Freshman Brad Benjamin led Memphis with a third place finish. In only his second tournament of the year, Benjamin shot a 3-under 69 on Wednesday to finish with a 7-under 209 (67-73-69). The Rockford, Ill., native was one of eight players named to the All-Tournament Team after finishing six strokes behind tournament medalist Will Dodson of SMU (70-68-65). UCF's Sonny Nimkhum finished one stroke ahead of Benjamin for second place with an 8-under 208 (72-66-70). Memphis sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard was named the C-USA Golfer of the Year and earned All-Conference First Team honors. The Roberval, Quebec native finished tied for 17th with a 1-over 217 (66-77-74). Sophomore Robbie Greenwell also tied for 17th and set a new collegiate 56-hole low (73-70-74). Sophomore Ian Rochester shot a 2-over 74 in the final round to place 29th with a 4-over 220 (70-76-74). Junior Lewis Clarke tied for 30th with a 221 (76-70-75) after a 3-over 75 on Wednesday. UCF finished six strokes behind SMU for second place with a 13-under 851 (288-283-280), while Tulsa finished third with an 853 (285-287-281). After sharing a second round lead with Memphis, Houston finished nine strokes behind the Tigers for fifth place. 2006 C-USA Men's Golf Championship Dates: 04/24-04/26, 2006 Round: 3 Final Results Par-Yardage: 72-7000 4 Memphis, U. of 276 289 291 856 3 Brad Benjamin 67 73 69 209 T17 Keven Fortin-Simard 66 77 74 217 T17 Robbie Greenwell 73 70 74 217 29 Ian Rochester 70 76 74 220 T30 Lewis Clarke 76 70 75 221 Fin. Team Scores 1 SMU 278 291 276 845 2 UCF 288 283 280 851 3 Tulsa, U. of 285 287 281 853 4 Memphis, U. of 276 289 291 856 5 Houston, Univ. of 285 280 300 865 6 UAB 286 291 292 869 7 Rice University 286 295 295 876 East Carolina Univ. 296 297 283 876 9 Southern Mississippi 292 291 294 877 10 Marshall University 302 297 288 887 11 Texas El Paso, U. of 291 311 294 896 12 Tulane University 308 315 314 937 C-USA Men's Golfer of the Year Keven Fortin-Simard, Memphis C-USA Freshman of the Year Nicolas Geyger, Tulsa C-USA Coach of the Year Tom Shaw, Tulane All-Conference USA First Team Pablo Acuna, Houston Keven Fortin-Simard, Memphis Colt Knost, SMU Sam Korbe, Tulsa Garrett Osborn, UAB All-Conference USA Second Team Mitch Cohlmia, Tulsa Brandon DeStefano, SMU Justin Elliott, Southern Miss Parker LaBarge, Rice Ricky Ramano, Houston All-Conference USA Freshman Team Jason Cuthbertson, Southern Miss Kyle Davis, UCF Greg Forest, UCF Nicolas Geyger, Tulsa Kyle Kelley, Rice All-Tournament Team Will Dodson, SMU Sonny Nimkhum, UCF Brad Benjamin, Memphis Colt Knost, SMU Garrett Osborn, UAB Mitch Cohlmia, Tulsa Sam Korbe, Tulsa Kyle Kelley, Rice

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04/26/06		Softball Inks Junior College Transfer From Arizona -- Lindsay Kelso will add solid bat, catcher to Lady Tiger lineup (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - University of Memphis softball coach Windy Thees has announced the signing of catcher Lindsay Kelso, a junior college standout from Phoenix College in Phoenix, Ariz., for the 2006-07 season. Kelso will transfer to the U of M after a year at Phoenix College, where she is currently hitting .395 with 15 doubles, four homeruns, and a team-leading 50 RBI. The Phoenix native also boasts a .559 slugging percentage and .443 on-base percentage and tops the team with 24 stolen bases in 25 attempts. Her Lady Bear squad was the pre-season No. 1 team in the Division II NJCAA softball rankings and presently has a 48-9-1 record entering the final week of regular season play. "Lindsay is a fabulous hitter and an outstanding catcher," said Thees. "When we combine her and Kimmi (Hayden) it will give us a solid catcher and DP combination." Prior to the 2006 season, Kelso spent her freshman year at NCAA Division II Grand Canyon University, leading her team with 10 doubles and three triples and ranking third with a .291 batting average. A member of the NCAA Division II All-Independent softball team, she threw out 14 of 25 would-be base stealers and had a 15-game hit streak in her first year of college. Kelso is a graduate of Greenway High School in Phoenix, where she helped the Demons to four regional championships and four state championship appearances. An All-State selection her junior and senior seasons, she earned All-Region honors all four years and was named to the 2004 Senior All-Star 4A South Team, helping the South squad to a 6-4 win and garnering the MVP award. In addition, she broke the Greenway single-season homerun record with 10 her senior year. Along with the on-field accomplishments, Kelso is a standout in the classroom. She currently has a 3.95 GPA in accounting at Phoenix College and was a member of National Honors Society and carried a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. "We are very excited to get Lindsay because she is a great player and a great student, and we feel like she fits perfectly into our team and our plans for the future," said Thees.

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04/26/06		Tiger pair test draft waters -- But Williams, Washington could return to school (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact April 26, 2006 What had long been expected became reality Tuesday when University of Memphis basketball players Shawne Williams and Darius Washington -- through various sources -- publicly acknowledged they intend to make themselves eligible for the NBA Draft. "I think for Darius and Shawne to explore things is fine," said coach John Calipari. "I think both want to feel the water and see where they are, and I support both of them." Assuming neither Williams nor Washington hire an agent and otherwise maintain their amateur status, it's possible both could return to Memphis next season because underclassmen with their eligibility intact have until June 18 to withdraw from the June 28 draft. And though Calipari said his understanding is that each prospect plans to keep that option viable, he didn't talk like a man expecting to coach Williams or Washington next season. "The great news is that we have a lot of guys coming back and a lot of guys coming in," Calipari said. "So for this program, yeah, you'd like to have some guys back. But it's about them at this point." A 6-9 forward, Williams is the superior prospect of the two. He averaged 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a freshman, and is projected by most analysts to be a middle-to-late first-round pick. "What Shawne told me is that he's going to enter the draft, but that if he's not (projected to be) in the top 20 then he will probably go back to school," said Williams' grandfather, Leon Williams. "He's torn on the decision because he enjoys school, but the (financial) needs overshadow everything else. The time is right if he can get the money and get a good contract." Washington's situation is more complex. On the surface it seems foolish for the 6-2 guard to turn pro considering he struggled through his sophomore season and finished with more turnovers (111) than assists (110). But the reality is that the former McDonald's All-American has a child to support and there are no guarantees his proverbial stock will ever improve because he's been labeled as an undersized scoring guard who is a liability on defense. Plus, Andre Allen is back. And Willie Kemp is coming. Those two players are true point guards who will demand time on the court, meaning it's fair to assume Washington would've been forced to play more off-the-ball during his junior season, which is no way to further his development as a point guard. Reached by cell phone Tuesday afternoon, Washington refused to comment on his decision and instead referred The Commercial Appeal to a written statement. "Check my Web site," Washington said. "Everything I want to say is on my Web site." The Web site is www.dwash.net. On it there was a message, one that gave no indication he is considering returning to the UofM under any circumstances. "It is with a great deal of excitement that I announce my decision to declare for the 2006 NBA Draft," the statement read. "Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. ... There were a lot of things to consider before I made my decision to enter the draft and after careful consideration I am confident that I made the best decision for me." Regardless the motives, Calipari declined to suggest Washington was making a mistake despite it appearing unlikely that he will be a first-round selection and garner a guaranteed NBA contract. "What if a young man wants to go and he gets picked in the second round, but he doesn't care because he wanted to go?" Calipari asked. "You can't say he's wrong. That's what he wanted to do. ... It's their lives. We're going to have a program that's going to be here 100 years from now. We're still going to have a program that's going to win year-in and year-out." -- Gary Parrish: 529-2365

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04/26/06		Tigers share golf lead -- One round remains in C-USA tournament (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services April 26, 2006 WEST POINT, Miss. -- The University of Memphis men's golf team is tied with Houston after two rounds of the Conference USA men's golf championship. The Tigers shot a 1-over par 289 with the final round today. The Tigers are led by freshman Brad Benjamin, who is tied for third with Houston's Zach Mowbray with a 4-under 36-hole 140. Benjamin is two strokes behind the leader after shooting a 1-over 73 on Tuesday. Sonny Nimkhum of UCF and Will Dodson of SMU are tied for the tournament lead with a 6-under 138. Sophomore Robbie Greenwell and junior Lewis Clarke led Memphis in the second round with a 2-under 70 As a team, Memphis is 11-under with a 36-hole 565. The Tigers share a four-stroke lead with Houston over third place SMU (minus-7).

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04/26/06		Hard work gives Gostkowski bright football future -- U of M kicker thought he had better shot as baseball pitcher (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact April 26, 2006 He's worked out in Memphis for the Chicago Bears, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. He's had the Packers fly him to Green Bay for a visit and an interview. Today, he'll work out at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium for the New Orleans Saints. For University of Memphis kicker Stephen Gostkowski, there hasn't been much down time since he ended his college career in the Tigers' victory over Akron Dec. 26 in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit. There have been all-star games, made-for-TV football challenges, NFL workouts and regular appearances as a right-handed pitcher for the Tiger baseball team. This weekend, he's expected to end his baseball career and take the first step toward what he hopes is a long NFL career. Gostkowski, the leading scorer in school history, is a possible late-round pick in this weekend's NFL Draft. If he goes undrafted, he'll likely sign as a free agent. "Our guys are anxious and excited for Gotty," said Tiger baseball coach Daron Schoenrock, who has used Gostkowski in his three-man weekend rotation. "They'll be keeping up with the draft." Considered one of the top three kickers by most draft analysts, Gostksowski is ranked second by former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt, senior analyst for NFL.com. GM Jr. Scouting, which analyzes the draft for CBS Sportsline, ranks Gostkowski third behind Missouri State's Jon Scifres and Ohio State's Josh Huston. Gostkowski said he owes not only a strong leg, but a high-profile teammate and the UofM coaching staff for his professional opportunity. Tiger All-America running back DeAngelo Williams, a likely first-round pick this weekend, attracted attention from NFL scouts and national TV cameras, and Gostkowski benefited from the exposure. "Everyone coming to see DeAngelo play certainly didn't hurt," Gostkowski said. "I put two really good seasons back to back my junior and senior years, but all the hype and attention DeAngelo got helped." While Williams rushed for 1,964 yards last season -- and more than 6,000 in his career -- Gostkowski posted some impressive numbers, too. Gostkowski made 22-of-25 field goals his senior year, including 10-of-10 from 40 yards and beyond. Among his kicks was a career-long 53-yarder. "It's hard to find a guy with such tremendous accuracy from long range," said Tiger special teams coach Tyson Helton. "He was making field goals consistently from 47, 50 yards. I haven't been around a kicker with his leg strength. He's as strong as most pro kickers." Gostkowski came to the UofM from Madison, Miss., four years ago on a baseball scholarship, but earned a spot on the football team in preseason camp. He said he never gave much thought to a pro football career until last season, one in which he was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year. "I thought my future might be better in baseball coming out of high school," Gostkowski said. "I had a lot of scouts looking at me. But I excelled better in football." Helton said he wishes he could take credit for Gostkowski's success, but said the talent was already there. When Helton joined the staff two years ago, he saw Gostkowski had leg strength and was fundamentally sound. But Gostkowski needed was to be more consistent. "Once he was able to get in a groove, he got better from a confidence standpoint, too," Helton said. Helton said Tiger coach Tommy West had a strong influence on Gostkowski's development from a solid college kicker to one with NFL potential. "Coach was hard on Gotty," Helton said. "He coached him like he was a linebacker. He coached him hard. And when Gotty had some success, we never backed down. We kept telling him he had a lot more in the tank." Gostkowski said he appreciated Helton and West "staying on me and making sure I got my work in." "I think he learned to deal with the pressure," Helton said. "He'll be able to handle that pressure at the next level. I'm just taking a guess at it, but I'd think he's one of the top two college kickers on every team's (draft) board. In my opinion, he is a pro guy. He has all the tools and the makeup to have a successful career." -------------------- NFL DRAFT When, where: Saturday and Sunday at New York TV: ESPN and ESPN2 First pick: Houston

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04/26/06		Tigers draft-bound (Daily Helmsman)
		By: Matt Laurie Sports Editor Sophomore Darius Washington Jr. and freshman Shawne Williams made themselves eligible for the June 18 NBA Draft yesterday. Williams' grandfather, Leon Williams, said the 6-foot-9 forward will hold off signing an agent, which leaves the door open to return to The University of Memphis next year, according to the Commercial Appeal. Washington, however, will remain in the draft although projections put Washington off the draft board and not being selected in either of the draft's two rounds. Washington left a message on his Web site to fans about his decision. "Dear Fans, It is with a great deal of excitement that I announce my decision to declare for the 2006 NBA Draft," the statement said. "Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember ... I have been fortunate to play for some great coaches over the years who have helped me prepare for the challenges of collegiate and professional basketball. There were a lot of things to consider before I made my decision to enter the draft and after careful consideration I am confident that I made the best decision for me. I truly appreciate the support my friends, family, coaches and the fans have given me over the years and hope they will stand by me as I enter the next stage of fulfilling my lifelong dream." Washington averaged 15.4 points per game in 2004-05 while leading the team with 144 assists. Last season Washington averaged 13.4 points per game. Williams, in his first year with The U of M, averaged 13.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds.

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04/25/06		Men's Golf Tied for First Heading into C-USA Championship Final Round -- Greenwell and Clarke lead Tigers in second round (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 WEST POINT, Miss. - Shooting a second round 1-over par 289 on Tuesday at the Conference USA Men's Golf Championship at the Old Waverly Golf Course, the University of Memphis is tied with Houston for first place heading into the final round. The Tigers are led by freshman Brad Benjamin who is tied for third with Houston's Zach Mowbray with a 4-under 36-hole 140. Benjamin, who only has one previous collegiate tournament under his belt, is two strokes behind the leader after shooting a 1-over 73 on Tuesday. Sonny Nimkhum of UCF and Will Dodson of SMU are tied for the tournament lead with a 6-under 138. Sophomore Robbie Greenwell and junior Lewis Clarke led Memphis in the second round with a 2-unde r 70 on the par 72, 7,000-yard course. The score marks career lows for both players. Greenwell is tied for the team's second lowest score with a 1-under 143 and is tied for 14th overall. Clarke is tied for 23rd with a 2-over 146. As a team, Memphis is 11-under with a 36-hole 565. The Tigers share a four-stroke lead with Houston over third place SMU (-7). UCF (-5) is six strokes back for fourth place, while Tulsa (-4) is fifth. Houston led the tournament in the second round with an 8-under 280, while the U of M's round total ranked fourth on the day. After taking a first round lead with a 6-under 66 in the opening round, sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard is tied for 14th with a 1-under 143. The Roberval, Quebec native shot a 5-over 77 in the second round and is tied with Greenwell for second on the team. Sophomore Ian Rochester is tied with Clarke at 23rd with a 2-over 146. The final round will begin on Wednesday with a shotgun start beginning at 7:45 a.m. The first Tiger player will tee off from the one hole beginning at 8:30 a.m. 2006 C-USA Men's Golf Championship Dates: 04/24-04/26, 2006 Round: 2 Par-Yardage: 72-7000 T1 Memphis, U. of 276 289 565 T3 Brad Benjamin 67 73 140 T14 Keven Fortin-Simard 66 77 143 T14 Robbie Greenwell 73 70 143 T23 Ian Rochester 70 76 146 T23 Lewis Clarke 76 70 146 Fin. Team Scores 1 Houston, Univ. of 285 280 565 Memphis, U. of 276 289 565 3 SMU 278 291 569 4 UCF 288 283 571 5 Tulsa, U. of 285 287 572 6 UAB 286 291 577 7 Rice University 286 295 581 8 Southern Mississippi 292 291 583 9 East Carolina Univ. 296 297 593 10 Marshall University 302 297 599 11 Texas El Paso, U. of 291 311 602 12 Tulane University 308 315 623

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04/25/06		Lady Tiger Basketball Adds Second Junior College Transfer -- Aroha Jennings joins Lady Tigers in 2006-07 from Dodge City Community College (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team added some international flavor with the signing of Aroha Jennings from Rotorua, New Zealand, Tuesday. Jennings has played her last two years of basketball at Dodge City Community College in Kansas. "Aroha will be one of the most complete players we have signed," Head Coach Blair Savage-Lansden said. "She can shoot the three and can penetrate and score or penetrate and get to the free-throw line. I'm excited to add someone with such strong leadership qualities to our young team for next year." A 5-11 forward, Jennings was the team captain and led the squad with 16.4 points per game at Dodge City. She was also third with 5.9 rebounds per game and added 17 blocked shots on the season. The team's leading free-throw shooter, hitting 125 of 150 attempts (83.8 percent), Jennings also shot 53.0 percent from the floor and 43.8 percent from three-point range. A first team honoree on the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference All-West Team, Jennings was also an NJCAA Region VI Division I team honoree after helping the Lady Conquistadors to a 20-11 mark her sophomore year. As a freshman Jennings helped the Lady Conquistadors to a 26-6 record, a record-setting season at Dodge City CC. The 26 wins and the team's .821 winning percentage was the best in school history and the team ranked as high as No. 7 in the NJCAA national poll. A member of the New Zealand U18 roster in 2003-04, Jennings played as part of the New Zealand High Performance program. Her U18 team had its highest-ever finish at the Australian Championships in Newcastle, where they finished sixth. She was named to the Tournament Team at the U23 Women's Championships in Waikato and helped her prep team, John Paul College, to a runner-up finish in the Secondary Schools National Championships, where she was also named to the all-tournament team. Jennings also played in the WNBL in her native New Zealand for the Waikato Lady Titans in 2003. She also played for the Harbour Breeze in 2003. Jennings made the switch to basketball after a standout career as a netball player in New Zealand. She was named the NTIS Squad Athlete of the Year in netball in 2003 and captained the U19 Northern Territory Institute of Sport Netball squad in 2004 at the Underage National Championships in Launceston. The daughter of Phillip and Sandi Jennings, Aroha also has two sisters, Teao and Keri. Jennings is the eighth signee for Memphis and will have two years of eligibility left once she arrives in Memphis. She joins fellow junior college transfer Mercedes Thompson in the late signing period and freshmen Jasmine Brown (Drummonds, Tenn.), Alysse Davis (Flower Bluff, Texas), Se'erra Fantroy (Lincoln, Neb.), Jasmyn Green (Desoto, Texas), Robin Jones (Waco, Texas) and Adria Phillips (Fort Smith, Ark.) from the early signing period.

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04/25/06		Third Stop on Tiger Scholarship Fund Spring Tour Set for Tuesday at Bartlett -- Bank of Bartlett will host the third stop of the tour (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The third stop of the Tiger Scholarship Fund (TSF) Spring Tour is scheduled to be held Tuesday at the Wolfchase Branch of the Bank of Bartlett (7984 Highway 64). The event will be hosted by Harold Byrd of Bank of Bartlett from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Tiger fans are welcome to come out the stop to support their hometown Tigers. The Tiger Scholarship Fund is the fundraising branch of the University of Memphis Athletic Department, and is charged with fundraising $5 million each year that is used to directly fund scholarship for Tiger student-athletes. The fourth stop on the tour, and one of two to be held in Mississippi this year, will be held May 4th at Timbeaux's on the Square (333 Losher Street) in Hernando. That event will be hosted by Chuck Roberts from 5:30-7:00 p.m. RSVPs are still being accepted both both events. You can RSVP by dlarivir@memphis.edu.

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04/25/06		Tigers' Williams, Washington eligible for NBA draft (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact April 25, 2006 University of Memphis standout Shawne Williams plans to make himself eligible for the 2006 NBA Draft but will not immediately hire an agent, Williams’ grandfather told The Commercial Appeal today. Consequently, the freshman forward can maintain his college eligibility and return to the Tigers if he withdraws from the draft by June 18. The draft is June 28. "He’s torn on the decision because he enjoys school, but the (financial) needs overshadow everything else," said Leon Williams, who helped raise Shawne. "The time is right if he can get the money and get a good contract." Meanwhile, teammate Darius Washington has also announced his intentions to enter the draft. The sophomore guard declined to answer questions when reached by phone today, instead referring The Commercial Appeal to his personal Web site (dwash.net) where a statement had been published that explained his decision. "It is with a great deal of excitement that I announce my decision to declare for the 2006 NBA Draft," the statement read. "Playing in the NBA has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. ... There were a lot of things to consider before I made my decision to enter the draft, and after careful consideration I am confident that I made the best decision for me. I truly appreciate the support my friends, family, coaches and the fans have given me over the years and hope they will stand by me as I enter the next stage of fulfilling my lifelong dream." Though Washington wasn’t specific, his statement indicates he will remain in the draft no matter what despite no one projecting him as a first-round pick. On the other hand, a chance remains that Shawne Williams will play at Memphis again. Leon Williams said his grandson intends to maintain his amateur status and that if he is not projected as a top-20 pick "he will probably go back to school." As it stands, there is no guarantee Williams will go that high, though most analysts believe he’s a lock for the top 30. UofM coach John Calipari did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment. — Gary Parrish: 529-2365

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04/25/06		New deal boosts West's salary $125,000 -- Tiger coach will receive $925,000 per season (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact April 25, 2006 University of Memphis football coach Tommy West will receive $925,000 per season -- a boost from $800,000 -- in his amended contract, which was signed by West and athletic director R.C. Johnson April 11 and by UofM president Shirley Raines April 14. Johnson announced two weeks ago a new agreement had been reached with West to extend his contract through the 2010 season. But Johnson declined to release the amended figures, which were obtained Monday by The Commercial Appeal. Under the terms of the new deal, West's compensation for radio and television appearances increased from $469,825 to $545,000; his pay for public relations responsibilities was boosted from $179,710 to $225,000 and his base salary jumped from about $150,000 to $155,000. West's bonus for leading the Tigers into a Bowl Championship Series game remained at $250,000. His bonus for directing the UofM into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl -- the destination for winning the Conference USA title -- increased slightly from $40,000 to $50,000, and his bonus for guiding the Tigers to any other bowl jumped from $15,000 to $25,000. If West is named national coach of the year -- by either the Associated Press or CNN-Sports Illustrated -- he receives $50,000, up from $25,000. There also is a bonus tied to the team's graduation rate, a sum not to exceed $25,000 annually. Additional funding will be made available to increase the financial package for his assistants. West's buyout is $300,000 in the first year of the amended agreement, $200,000 in the second and decreases by $50,000 annually in the remaining three years. West, hired in 2001, led the Tigers to their unprecedented third straight bowl game in December. Memphis beat Akron in the Dec. 26 Motor City Bowl in Detroit, following postseason appearances in the New Orleans Bowl (in 2003) and the GMAC Bowl (in 2004). In his five seasons at the UofM, West has compiled a 32-28 record and is the fourth-winningest coach in school history. Johnson said the new contract would have been in place earlier, but was delayed by several factors, chief among them West's health. West, 51, underwent triple-bypass heart surgery Feb. 3 and returned to work shortly before the start of the team's spring practice, which ran from mid-March to April 8. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

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04/25/06		Memphis golfers take a 2-stroke lead at Conference USA tourney (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services April 25, 2006 WEST POINT, Miss. -- With three golfers shooting below par, the University of Memphis men's golf team jumped to a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Conference USA Championship on Monday at the Old Waverly Golf Course. After two lackluster tournament performances, sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard regained his stroke and led the Tigers in the opening round with a 6-under 66 on the par-72, 7,000-yard course. The score ties the Roberval, Quebec native with SMU's Colt Knost for first place. Memphis also received a top performance from freshman Brad Benjamin. Having played in only one tournament all year, the Rockford, Ill., native qualified for the conference tournament and shot a 5-under 67 in his first competitive round of the spring. One stroke behind Fortin-Simard, Benjamin, who was No. 40 in the Golfweek junior amateur rankings before coming to Memphis, is in third after the first 18 holes. The Tigers shot a 12-under 276 on Monday and led second-place SMU by two strokes. Memphis has a nine-stroke lead over Tulsa and Houston, who are in third with a 285, while Rice and UAB are tied for fifth with a 286. The 276 is the lowest round for the Tigers this season, surpassing the previous season low of 280. Sophomore Ian Rochester had the U of M's third under-par performance of the day with a 2-under 70 and is tied for 11th. Sophomore Robbie Greenwell is tied for 28th with a 1-over 73, and junior Lewis Clarke is tied for 46th with a 4-over 76. The second round of the tournament begins at 8 a.m. today with the championship concluding on Wednesday.

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04/25/06		Letters to the Editor: Basketball, Football (Commercial Appeal)
		Private donors bankroll 'big score' The front page of your April 23 Viewpoints section was a bit misleading, due to the picture of University of Memphis men's basketball coach John Calipari standing on a pile of $100 bills as compared to the generic professor standing on the short stack of twenties ("Cal's big score / Is it unfair that college professors make just a tiny fraction of what major college coaches earn?"). Yes, both your Viewpoints article and your editorial (April 23, "Paying to play at the U of M") point out some fair things, but more should be outlined. Neither really emphasized enough that professors at the U of M and at many other public universities (like me) are paid by the state, and that Calipari and many other high-level coaches are paid largely by private donors, alumni and individuals who want to see their university do well on all levels. I know for a fact that one of those donors not only helped to raise Calipari's salary the evening he came back from North Carolina State University but also donates heavily to the University of Memphis College of Fine Arts. Without this donor's help we would not be at the level we are in the School of Music. As far as I am concerned, donors can give Calipari $2 million a year if it means success for the U of M and getting the long-overdue recognition an NCAA championship would bring. But on the other hand, if Coach Cal does not do well he can be dismissed much more easily than a tenured professor; he is under far more pressure than I will ever see in my job. Jack T. Cooper Associate professor, University of Memphis Memphis Comparing apples to apples Your reporter is not comparing apples to apples when he compares the salary of an associate professor of English with Coach Cal's salary. If he took all of the basketball coaches in all the colleges and junior colleges in the United States and then took a mean average of those salaries, that might be closer to an apples-to-apples comparison. And if you took the Top 10 basketball programs out of the equation, I wouldn't be surprised if the salary of an associate professor of English was not higher than most of those coaches' salaries. Then how about this? How many students are attracted to the University of Memphis by the English program versus the U of M basketball program? Which is the most profitable to the university? Here's a puzzler to think about: Is Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., worth his salary? Is his company's stock really worth that much money? People just love controversy. So do reporters, especially when they write about it. Lawrence R. La Moore Memphis DeAngelo stars off the field, too I read your April 23 article, "DeAngelo looking to give back," and was reminded once again of what a great example DeAngelo Williams is to the people of the Memphis area. He seems to be a guy who has taken all of his talents and opportunities and made the most of them with hard work and enthusiasm and a megawatt smile. I had the opportunity to meet DeAngelo about 31/2 years ago when I took a group of Tigers cubs to tour the University of Memphis football training facility. We were there on a Monday, which is usually an off day for the team. DeAngelo was there doing weight training. Lish Trice, the assistant to the athletic director who was giving the tour, told us then that we would be seeing DeAngelo play on Sundays one day. Looks like Lish was right! It has been fun watching DeAngelo make a difference in Memphis; I can't wait to see what he does when he get to the pros. Maria Lingerfelt Cordova

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04/24/06		Men's Golf Takes First Round Lead at C-USA Championship -- Fortin-Simard tied for first; Benjamin in third (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 WEST POINT, Miss. - With three golfers shooting below par, the University of Memphis men's golf team jumped to a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Conference USA Championship on Monday at the Old Waverly Golf Course. After two sub-par tournament performances, sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard regained his stroke and led the Tigers in the opening round with a 6-under 66 on the par-72, 7,000-yard course. The score ties the Roberval, Quebec native with SMU's Colt Knost for first place individually. Memphis also received a spectacular performance from freshman Brad Benjamin. Having played in only one tournament all year, the Rockford, Ill., native qualified for the conference tournament and shot a 5-under 67 in his first competitive round of the spring. One stroke behind Fortin-Simard, Benjamin, who was No. 40 in the Golfweek junior amateur rankings before coming to Memphis, is in third after the first 18 holes. The Tigers shot a 12-under 276 on Monday and leads second place SMU by two strokes. Memphis has a nine-stroke lead over Tulsa and Houston who both are in third with a 285 (-3), while Rice and UAB are tie for fifth with a 286 (-2). The 276 is the lowest round for the Tigers this season, surpassing the previous season low of 280 by four strokes. Sophomore Ian Rochester had the U of M's third sub-par performance of the day with a 2-under 70 and is tied for 11th. Sophomore Robbie Greenwell is tied for 28th with a 1-over 73, and junior Lewis Clarke is tied for 46th with a 4-over 76. The second round of the tournament begins at 8 a.m. on Tuesday with the championship concluding on Wednesday. 2006 C-USA Men's Golf Championship Dates: 04/24-04/26, 2006 Round: 1 Par-Yardage: 72-7000 1 Memphis, U. of 276 T1 Keven Fortin-Simard 33-33 66 3 Brad Benjamin 33-34 67 T11 Ian Rochester 37-33 70 T28 Robbie Greenwell 39-34 73 T46 Lewis Clarke 36-40 76 Fin. Team Scores 1 Memphis, U. of 276 -12 2 SMU 278 -10 3 Tulsa, U. of 285 -3 Houston, Univ. of 285 -3 5 Rice University 286 -2 UAB 286 -2 7 UCF 288 E 8 UTEP 291 +3 9 Southern Miss 292 +4 10 East Carolina Univ. 296 +8 11 Marshall University 302 +14 12 Tulane University 308 +20

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04/24/06		Two Lady Tiger Basketball Signees Named to All Star Teams in Texas -- Tandem to play on opposite squads in May 5th game (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Two Lady Tiger basketball signees for the 2005-06 season have been named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches' (TABC) All-Star teams. Robin Jones of Waco University School and Jazmyn Green of DeSoto High School will each play on opposite teams in the TABC All-Star game, held May 5th at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Jones, the MVP of District 16-4A, helped her prep team to a 24-10 record while advancing to the Region 2-4A tournament, where the team finished third. A TABC All-Region honoree in Region 2 and an All-State honoree in Class 4A, Jones helped her team finish the season as the No. 17 ranked team in Class 4A in Texas. She will play on the 4A &5A South Team. Green, the 7-5A District MVP, will play on the opposing North team after helping her DeSoto High School team to a 33-5 record, the 5A Region I finals and the No. 4 season-ending ranking in Class 5A. A Class 5A All-State honoree, Green was also an all-region honoree in Region I. The May game will be the first of two all-star appearances for Green, who was also named to the 4A-5A North Team for 2006 Basketball All-Star Games held July 13 on the campus of TCU in Ft. Worth, Texas. That game will be played at 7:30 p.m. following the completion of the 1A-2A-3A All-Star Game, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Jazmyn Green (DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto HS) Green, a 5-7 point guard, was a Street and Smith All-American honorable mention player in 2005 after averaging 15 points and four assists per game. She was named to the End of the Oregon Trail All-Tournament Team and was a Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 5A All-Star as a junior. The No. 25 ranked senior in the state in a ranking by Texashoops.com for the Pre-season Class of 2006, Green was also named the Denton Record Chronicle Girls Basketball MVP following her junior season. At DeSoto, Green helped the Lady Eagles team win its first 25 straight games of the season and to a ranking as high as No. 2 in the state rankings. The Lady Eagles shared the District 7-5A championship before winning four playoff games, but fell one victory short of the state tournament in the 5A regional finals. In addition to her skills at the point, Green has hit 63 three-point field goals last year and was invited to participate in the USA Cup with her Team Ichiban Red 17U team. Robin Jones (Waco, Texas/University) The final Texan in the initial signing class of the early season is Waco, Texas' Robin Jones. Jones averaged 14.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game for University as a junior and hit 72.7 percent of her shots from the free-throw line. A 6-0 post at University, Jones was named a second team reserve on the Tribune Herald Super Centex Girls Team after averaging 11.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in a sophomore season in which she helped the Lady Trojans to a 24-8 record, the school's first playoff trip and what is believed to be the school's first district championship. TexasHoops.com ranked Jones the No. 25 senior in the state in the pre-season Class of 2006 rankings and she could play either forward or center for the Lady Tigers. This is the first signing class that Savage has gotten to scout and recruit since their junior years after she was hired in June of 2004.

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04/24/06		Tiger Notes: Baseball, Softball, Golf (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services April 24, 2006 Cougars outlast Tigers in 16-inning contest HOUSTON, Texas -- Houston rightfielder Matt Weston beat out a fielder's choice grounder that enabled Travis Cougot to score the winning run and give the 19th-ranked Cougars an 8-7 win in 16 innings, clinching a series sweep of Memphis on Sunday afternoon at Cougar Field. The game was the longest in Memphis history since the Tigers battled to a 4-4 tie in 21 innings against Evansville on March 7, 1999. The contest also tied a Conference USA record for the longest game. The game took 4 hours, 49 minutes. The loss was Memphis' first extra-inning setback in five games this year. "Both teams had chances to win," said Tiger coach Daron Schoenrock. "I thought we had more chances in the extra innings, but you have to tip your hat to Houston for executing in the clutch." Memphis looked to be in position to win in the 15th when Jordan Tolliver broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run single. However, Houston responded with a two-run double in the bottom half of the inning by Bryan Tully. Houston's Luis Flores scattered seven hits and struck out four over 72/3 innings. However, he received a no-decision after reliever Clayton Boone was unable to hold the Tigers' offense off the board in the final inning. In another development, the Tigers have scheduled two games to replace games against Ohio that were canceled because of wintry weather earlier in the season. The Tigers will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 5 p.m. Saturday and Mississippi Valley State at 1 p.m. on April 30. UAPB and MVSU will play at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Other developments Lady Tigers win: Kara Ross had a three-run homer and four RBI and Lindsey Pridgen hit her fourth homer of the season to lead the Memphis softball team to a 6-1 win in the C-USA series finale with East Carolina at Greenbrook Park. With the win, the Lady Tigers (26-22, 8-9 C-USA) take a 11/2 -game lead over the Pirates (33-22, 7-11) for the sixth and final spot in the C-USA Tournament, May 11-14. C-USA golf: The University of Memphis men's golf team will be one of 12 teams competing for the 2006 Conference USA Championship title, hosted by Southern Miss, beginning today at the Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point, Miss. The winner receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals.

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04/23/06		#19 Houston Defeats Tigers, 8-7, in 16-inning Marathon -- Tigers return home for five-game homestand (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis (21-21; 6-9 C-USA) 100 010 102 000 002 0- 7 14 2 #19 Houston (28-15; 12-3 C-USA) 230 000 000 000 002 1- 8 13 1 HOUSTON, Texas - Houston rightfielder Matt Weston beat out a fielder's choice groundball that enabled Travis Cougot to score the game-winning run and give the 19th-ranked Cougars an 8-7 win to clinch a series sweep of Memphis, Sunday afternoon at Cougar Field. The game was the longest in Memphis history since the Tigers battled to a 4-4 tie in 21 innings against the Evansville Aces on March 7, 1999. The contest also tied a Conference USA record for the longest game. The game took 4:49 to play. The loss was Memphis' first extra-inning setback in five games this year. The Tigers had beaten Notre Dame, UT-Martin and Marshall twice in their four previous extra-inning contests. "Both teams had chances to win," said Daron Schoenrock. "I thought we had more chances in the extra innings, but you have to tip your hat to Houston for executing in the clutch." Memphis looked to be in position to win the game in the 15th inning, when Jordan Tolliver broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run single. However, Houston responded with a two-run double in the bottom half of the inning by Bryan Tully. The Tigers evened the slate in the ninth on consecutive hits by Lieberman and Norrid to lead off the inning. Josh Irvin sacrificed the runners to third and second, respectively before pinch-hitter Chris Newsom lined the first pitch he saw up the middle for a two-run, game-tying single. Memphis got on the scoreboard with a run in the first after Will Petersen lined a double into the leftfield corner and came around to score on a single by Adam Amar. A pair of two-run home runs pushed Houston to five runs in the first two innings. The Cougars took a 2-1 lead in the first on a towering drive over the rightfield wall by Matt Weston. A two-run homer to left by Jake Stewart highlighted a three-run second that put Houston ahead comfortably at 5-1. Cougar starter Luis Flores retired the next 12 Tigers before Tolliver doubled to the right centerfield gap and moved to third when UH centerfielder Bryan Tully mishandled the ball. Cory Barton's sac fly to right made it 5-2. Tolliver led Memphis with four hits on the afternoon. Memphis continued to chip away at the Houston lead with a trio of hits in the top of the seventh. Joey Lieberman singled to left and Kyle Norrid dribbled a single through the right side. Lieberman scored on a single to right by Tolliver. Freshman righthander Scott McGregor earned a no-decision for Memphis after giving up three earned runs in just three innings. Matt Yokley came on in relief to strike out four in 4.1 innings of relief. Ben Grisham was stellar in relief for Memphis, holding the Cougars to just two runs in 6.2 innings. He scattered six hits and struck out five. Lance Scoggins took the loss. In the game, Tiger relievers held UH scoreless for 11.2 innings. Houston got its third-straight pitching gem from Luis Flores, who scattered seven hits and fanned four over 7.2 innings. However, he was tagged with a no-decision after reliever Clayton Boone was unable to hold the Tigers' offense off the board in the final inning. Shea Hancock pitched a scoreless 16th inning to earn the win. The Tigers will now take the midweek off from competition, before returning to action on Sat., April 29 when they square off against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the nightcap of a three-team doubleheader. UAPB will play Mississippi Valley State at 1 p.m. Memphis and UAPB square off at 5 p.m. The U of M and MVSU play on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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04/23/06		Ross, Pridgen Homer, Softball Takes Series Finale From ECU 6-1 -- Lady Tigers take one and a half game lead in race for final spot in C-USA Tourney (GoTigersGo.com)
		East Carolina (33-22, 7-11 C-USA) 001 000 0 - 1 6 2 Memphis (26-22, 8-9 C-USA) 111 300 x - 6 7 0 SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - Kara Ross had a three-run homerun and four RBI and Lindsey Pridgen hit her fourth round-tripper of the season to lead the Memphis softball team to a 6-1 win in the C-USA series finale with East Carolina Sunday at Greenbrook Park. With the win, the Lady Tigers (26-22; 8-9 C-USA) take a one and a half game lead over the Pirates (33-22; 7-11, C-USA) for the sixth and final spot in the Conference USA Tournament, which will be hosted by Tulsa, May 11-14. "This was a huge win for us," said Coach Windy Thees. "It was great to see Kara (Ross) come up with the big hits and key RBI, and Lindsey (Pridgen) stayed hot and continued to hit the ball well." The U of M scored a run each in the first three innings and plated three on Ross' homer in the fourth, and that was more than enough help for Lady Tiger starter Nicki Johnson, as she scattered six hits and allowed just one run to take the win in the circle. "Nicki (Johnson) really stepped up and threw two great games for us this weekend," said Thees. "It is great to have two pitchers (Johnson and Jenna Kubesch), who can be No. 1's for us." Memphis took the lead in the bottom of the first, as Tori Gross reached on an infield single to plate Kimmi Hayden and give the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead. The U of M extended the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the second, as Pridgen smashed her fourth homerun of the season, a solo shot to leftfield. ECU cut the deficit in half in the top of the third, using a pair of doubles by Alison Monce and Erin St. Ledger to make the score 2-1. Memphis went back on top by two in the bottom half of the third, with Ross picking up her first RBI with double down the rightfield line that scored McNulty, who had singled, and gave the Lady Tigers a 3-1 advantage. East Carolina attempted to cut into the lead twice in the top of the fourth, but saw two runners thrown out at the plate. Gross nailed pinch runner Brently Bridgeforth at home for the second out of the inning before Cara Stiles gunned down Krista Jessup from centerfield to end the frame. Ross then put the game away in the bottom of the fourth with her three-run bomb to rightcenter that set the final margin of 6-1. The shot was Ross' third round-tripper of the season, and scored Hayden, who singled, and McNulty, who walked. The pair two homeruns on the day gave the U of M its first multi-homerun game in C-USA play. The contest was also the first game with two or more homeruns since McNulty and Leila Dolfo each homered in the second half of a double-header against Grambling State on March 22. Following the big fourth inning, Johnson faced just one more than the minimum over the final three innings, as she scattered six hits and fanned four to improve her record to 12-8 with the complete-game victory. Keli Harrell took the loss for ECU, giving up seven hits and the six runs - five earned - in six innings and falling to 20-14 on the year. Ross led the U of M at the plate, going 2-for-3 with the double and the homer, while Pridgen, Hayden, Gross and Laura Mahoney added a hit apiece. The Lady Tigers will now have five days out of action to prepare for final exams before hosting Marshall in a three-game C-USA series, next Saturday and Sunday, April 29-30 at Greenbrook Park.

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04/23/06		Baseball Schedules Makeup Games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State -- Games to replace canceled season-opening series vs. Ohio (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis baseball team will makeup its two canceled games against Ohio on April 29-30 when it hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State in a weekend set. On Sat., April 29, the Tigers will face UAPB in the twinbill of a doubleheader. The Golden Lions and the Delta Devils will play the early game at 1p.m., before Memphis and UAPB square off at 5 p.m. The U of M and MVSU play on Sunday at 1 p.m. The weekend's slate of games will replace the originally scheduled season-opening weekend versus Ohio that was canceled due to snow and ice in the Memphis area. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley are both members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). MVSU, alma mater of Jerry Rice, is currently 19-21 on the year and 15-5 against SWAC opponents. UAPB was 15-20, 9-12 in SWAC play going into weekend action.

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04/23/06		Men's Golf Set to Compete in C-USA Championship -- Teams compete for automatic berth in NCAA Regionals (GoTigersGo.com)
		For Immediate Release Contact: Brandon Kolditz wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 678-2444 WEST POINT, Miss. - The University of Memphis men's golf team will be on of 12 teams competing for the 2006 Conference USA Championship title, hosted by Southern Miss, beginning Monday at the Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point, Miss. The winner of the championship receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals. Three teams--Tulsa (24), SMU (35) and Houston (42)--are ranked among the top 50 nationally by Golfweek entering the championship. The Cougars are the only previous team champion and have the most men's golf titles in C-USA history with five-straight wins from 1997 to 2001. Tulsa and SMU along with Marshall (163), Rice (105), UCF (58) and UTEP (141) are all making their C-USA championship debuts. The Tigers are the seventh lowest ranked team in the tournament and are currently ranked No. 82. Along with returning C-USA teams Houston and Memphis, East Carolina (124), Southern Miss (66), Tulane (209) and UAB (63) also compete in the tournament. Last year the Tigers place seventh in the tournament, which was won by former C-USA member TCU. Sophomore Keven Fortin-Simard led Memphis in the tournament with a 7-over 223 (77-71-75) to tie for 26th. Fortin-Simard will again look to lead the Tigers in the tournament in the No. 1 position. The Roberval, Quebec native has medaled three times in 10 tournaments this season, including two individual championships in the screen. Currently ranked No. 94 by Golfweek, Fortin-Simard has finished in the top 10 seven times this season and leads the team with a 72.8 stroke average. The Tigers' No. 2 will be sophomore Ian Rochester who is averaging a 74.4. Rochester has finished in the top 20 four times this season and is coming off a seventh place tie at the Billy Hitchcock Intercollegiate. Sophomore Robbie Greenwell will compete in the No. 3 hole and has a 75.9 average with two top 20 finishes in nine tournaments this season. Junior Lewis Clarke, who is third on the team with a 75.8 average, will play in the fourth spot. Freshman Brad Benjamin completes the Tiger rotation. Benjamin, who has only played in one fall tournament, earned the final position in the lineup in pre-tournament qualifying rounds. Three of the top individuals that will compete against Fortin-Simard for the championship are from UAB and SMU. UAB's Garrett Osborn is the highest ranked individual in the conference at No. 27 and took fifth last year in the tournament. SMU has a pair of contenders in Brandon DeStefano (76) and Colt Knost (84). Fortin-Simard is the fourth-lowest ranked individual in the tournament. The championship consists of 54 holes over three days on the par 72, 7,000-yard course. The first tee time for each day of the competition will be 8 a.m. Central.

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04/23/06		DeAngelo looking to give back -- Foundation to aid breast cancer research and reading programs (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact April 23, 2006 He's less than a week away from embarking upon the next phase of his career and DeAngelo Williams can't wait. Yes, he's excited about the likelihood of being a first-round pick in Saturday's NFL Draft, but he seems just as enthused about being in position to have an effect on people's lives. Williams, who set practically every University of Memphis rushing record in his remarkable four-year career, will launch the DeAngelo Williams Foundation Friday night at Senses on Poplar. The public is invited beginning at 10 p.m. and the $5 admission will benefit the foundation. The foundation will raise money and awareness in hopes of finding a cure for breast cancer. The foundation also will be involved in reading programs for Mid-South area children. ''It means a lot to be able to do this,'' Williams said. ''It's a small way for me to give back to the community.'' For Williams, breast cancer is a subject with which he is too familiar. The disease took the lives of two of his aunts. His mother, Sandra Hill of Wynne, Ark., is a breast-cancer survivor. He said if his foundation can provide any assistance in finding a cure for breast cancer, it will be welcome because ''you can never replace lives.'' Williams said he also understood the impact reading to children can have. He was involved in such a program at the UofM where he and his teammates read to children in Memphis-area schools. ''We reached out and touched kids,'' he said. ''When you have someone come and read to you who is a professional (athlete), someone you look up to, and he tells you education is a must, you listen.'' Before the doors open to the public, a VIP function will be held and among those scheduled to attend are USC running back LenDale White and Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney, both of whom are expected to go early in the draft. Williams befriended both running backs during the various national functions he attended recognizing him as one of the top players in the country. Also expected to attend are NFL players Reggie Howard and Marcus Bell, who are former Tigers, Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau president Kevin Kane and Tiger coach Tommy West. Several Memphis Grizzlies could attend if their postseason schedule allows. Williams, a three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, finished his career as college football's fourth-leading rusher. He gained more than 6,000 yards and helped the Tigers to three consecutive bowl games. Before Williams holds his Friday night function, he's scheduled to spend the middle part of the week in Los Angeles, where he'll appear on the "Best Damn Sports Show Period" on Fox Sports Net. -- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543 DeAngelo Williams' draft party benefit When, where: Friday, 10 p.m., at Senses nightclub, 2866 Poplar Admission: A $5 donation to the DeAngelo Williams Foundation

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04/23/06		Where will he go? (Commercial Appeal)
		A sampling of where some mock drafts predict former University of Memphis star running back DeAngelo Williams will be selected in the first round of Saturday's NFL draft: Mock draft Pick Team Pete Prisco, Sportsline.com 21st New England Patriots Rob Rang, foxsports.com 25th New York Giants Todd McShay, ESPN.com 27th Carolina Panthers Scott Wright, nfldraftcountdown.com 28th Jacksonville Jaguars Clark Judge, Sportsline.com 30th Indianapolis Colts

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04/23/06		Houston hurler Hargrove stymies Memphis -- Tigers only able to push across one run (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services April 23, 2006 HOUSTON, Texas -- Houston starter Ricky Hargrove tied a career high with eight strikeouts and allowed just one run on seven hits in eight innings, leading the 19th-ranked Cougars to a 7-1 win over Memphis Saturday night at Cougar Field. After Houston (27-15, 11-3 C-USA) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Memphis (21-20, 6-8) cut the Cougars' lead in half with a single run in the second on an RBI single by Ben Grisham. Advertisement Pitcher Stephen Gostkowski took the loss after giving up five runs on 11 hits in four innings. Adam Amar had a pair of hits for Memphis, which suffered its seventh straight defeat.

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04/23/06