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News Nuggets, 09.11.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Professional wrestling barreling toward Minges Coliseum

GREENVILLE — World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) makes its debut at East Carolina University on Sept. 15 with a full lineup of matches in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. The action gets underway Monday at 7 p.m.

Tickets, priced at $40, $30, $20, and $15, are on sale now through all Ticketmaster outlets and the ECU Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased by phone by calling (252) 328-4500 or (919) 834-4000. They may also be ordered online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.ecupirates.com.

Included in Monday night's lineup are four title matches:

• WWE Title: Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar
• U.S. Title: Chris Benoir vs. Eddie Guerrero
• Tag Team Title: APA VS. Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
• "Fatal 3 Way Elimination" Cruiserweight Title: Rey Mysterio vs. Nunzio vs. Billy Kidman

Among several other events on the card is a "Bikini Contest" featuring Torrie Wilson vs. Sable vs. Dawn Marie vs. Nidia.

The lineup is subject to change.

Injuries sideline TCU QB, running back

FORT WORTH — Texas Christian quarterback Tye Gunn will miss three-to-five weeks after separating his right shoulder in practice. Gunn, who is undefeated in six career games as the starter for the No. 22 Horned Frogs, was hurt during practice Tuesday when he was running an option play and started to fall down while sprinting toward the sideline.

Coach Gary Patterson said Gunn injured his shoulder when he extended his arm to break his fall. The coach said Gunn wasn't hit by another player, but tripped on his right leg, the one on which he wears a brace after surgery for torn knee ligaments that ended his freshman season after four starts.

Patterson also said that running back Ricky Madison, who hurt his right knee in Saturday's 17-3 win over Navy, would have arthroscopic surgery Thursday. Madison will be out at least two weeks, and it could be more depending on the surgery. TCU (2-0) has an open date this weekend, so the Horned Frogs have extra time before a Sept. 20 home game against Vanderbilt.

Billikens old-timers to be managed by Herzog

SAINT LOUIS — Saint Louis University's Alumni Baseball Game, scheduled for Sun., Sept. 14, will be played at The Billiken Sports Center on the SLU campus. Originally slated to take place at GMC Park in Sauget, Ill., the game had to be moved due to the Gateway Grizzlies' advance in the playoffs.

The Diamond Club, SLU's baseball booster organization, is sponsoring the game, which is being played in conjunction with the club's annual golf tournament fundraiser. The Alumni team, led by special guest manager Whitey Herzog, will square off against the 2004 Billikens at 3 p.m. Registration begins at noon, and batting practice starts at 12:30 p.m.

NCAA sentences Fresno State to four years

FRESNO, CA — Fresno State was put on four years' probation by the NCAA on Wednesday for violations including academic fraud. The probation is retroactive to December 2002, when Fresno State penalized itself, including banning the men's basketball team from postseason play last season and cutting three scholarships.

Most problems were in men's basketball, but the NCAA Infractions Committee said there were others in men's soccer and women's basketball. The men's basketball team's showing in the 2000 NCAA tournament will be wiped from the record book, and the team will have to return 90 percent of the money it received for that appearance. But the NCAA didn't add any new postseason bans.

The NCAA ruled that an academic adviser and statistician prepared course work in 2000 for two men's basketball players in their last semesters of eligibility and for a prospective student. Also, during the 1998-99 academic year, a men's basketball player was given financial aid without being enrolled in a full-time course program. The player also was certified as eligible for competition even though his academic record did not meet requirements.

Other violations included cash stipends given to a player and his family, and free meals given to players by the owner of a restaurant. The adviser and statistician no longer are with the team.

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

Page Updated: 02/23/2007