Symmonds, Smith Qualify For Saturday Finals at NCAA Division III Championships

Bearcat women qualify for finals in 1600 relay.

(LISLE, IL) - Senior Nick Symmonds began defense of his two NCAA titles as he easily qualified for the finals of the 1500 and sophomore Jordyn Smith qualified for the finals in the 400 hurdles at opening day action of the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships at Benedictine University in Lisle IL Thursday.

Smith, was the last of eight qualifiers in a very fast race where four runners exceeded the best Division III time previously posted this year, and two broke the stadium record. Smith ran a 62.30.

That time betters Smith previous best this season by over a second.

Teammate Roseanne Kassebaum suffered through a difficult race in her heat and failed to qualify for the finals, finishing in 64.30.

OSU Beavers Sports Fast Facts

(CORVALLIS) - BEAVERS IN NCAA SUPER REGIONAL ACTION: Oregon State is making its first NCAA Super Regional appearance - the Super Regional format began in 2005, prior to the format change the NCAA Regional Tournament consisted of eight teams. The Beavers have advanced to the round of 16 three times in the past four years. OSU is looking to make its first trip to the Women`s College World Series.

The Super Regional format features a best two out of three game series. The eight Super Regional champions will make up the field for the Women`s College World Series.

FAST FACT: The Oregon State and California match-up is the only Super Regional that features a pair of teams ranked nationally in the Top 10 - The Beavers are No. 7 and the Bears are No. 6.

SCOUTING No. 6 RANKED CALIFORNIA: The No. 6 ranked and No. 11 seeded California Golden Bears enter the week with a 47-12 overall record and have won nine of their last 11 games, including a perfect 3-0 mark at the Iowa Regional Tournament.

'Girl's Guide' Helps All NASCAR Fans

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.)) - Liz Allison wasn't sure how much appeal her latest book about NASCAR would have for men. She was worried the title, "The Girl's Guide to NASCAR," would shut out half her potential audience.

Then she went to her first book signing at Talladega, Ala., where half the books she signed were for men.

"I would say, `Oh, is this for your wife or girlfriend?' But no, it was for them. They heard Darrell Waltrip say, `Hey, you guys need to get this book too. Put your hand over the title,'" Allison said.

"If guys can get past the title, I think they'll really enjoy it."

Open "The Girl's Guide to NASCAR," and fans of either gender will find a book filled with tidbits and information for those who never get closer to a racetrack than the television set, or even the faithful who plan their vacations around the yearly series schedule.

Oregon State Announces Contract Extension for Bob De Carolis

(CORVALLIS) - Oregon State University Director of Athletics Bob De Carolis will receive a contract extension effective July 1st, 2006, OSU President Dr. Edward Ray announced Wednesday. De Carolis has served as the department`s director since Aug. 28, 2002.

“Bob De Carolis has proven himself to be a tremendous leader for the athletics department, and a valuable member of the university leadership team,“ Ray said. “His vision has enabled alumni, fans and current students and staff to feel proud to be associated with this university.

Bob's abilities to manage resources and recruit world class coaches are well known. There is no question that even better days are ahead for Oregon State University athletics.“

De Carolis, 53, began his OSU career April 20, 1998 as associate athletic director for internal operations; he was promoted to senior associate athletic director July 1st, 1999.

Thurston`s Straily Signs With Western Oregon

Star pitcher inks national letter of intent with baseball Wolves.

(MONMOUTH) - Thurston High School star pitcher Dan Straily has signed a national letter of intent to attend Western Oregon University next fall.

Straily, a 6-1, 185-pound right-hander, is the second prep player to sign with the Wolves program during this school year. Last fall, West Salem`s Mike Cusick committed to WOU during the early signing period. Cusick was just named the Valley League Pitcher of the Year last week.

Straily went 7-3 for a Thurston team that finished 9-14 on the season. He had an ERA of 2.48 and gave up only 43 hits in 62 innings of work. He fanned 65 batters and walked only 18. He also had one save.

OSU Men`s Golf Will Add James Allenby, Transfer From UTEP

(CORVALLIS) - James Allenby, one of the top golfers in the Western Athletic Conference for two years at Texas-El Paso, will transfer to Oregon State, OSU head coach Brian Watts announced Tuesday.

Allenby (Langley, B.C./Langley Secondary School) will have two years of eligibility remaining. He played at UTEP in 2003-04 and 2004-05, then sat out during 2005-06.

He averaged a team-best 71.8 strokes per round as a sophomore in 2004-05 and had five top 10 finishes, including a tie for ninth at the WAC Championships.

He was named to the All-WAC first team. As a freshman in 2003-04, he tied for second at the WAC Championships and averaged 73.6 strokes per round.

Toronto Gets No. 1 pick, Blazers No. 4

(SECAUCUS, N.J.) - New general manager Bryan Colangelo got a huge boost in his effort to rebuild the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, winning the NBA lottery and the No. 1 pick in next month's draft.

The Raptors, who had the NBA's fifth worst record at 27-55, jumped four slots in winning the lottery for the first time.

"For us to have this kind of luck is a symbol of a reversal of fortune going forward," Colangelo said.

The Chicago Bulls added to the Knicks' season of misery by getting the second pick for the June 28th draft in New York.

The Knicks traded their first-round pick to the Bulls in a preseason trade for center Eddy Curry. Chicago (41-41) obviously got the best of the deal, getting rid of an unhappy player, making the playoffs in the process and getting the No. 2 pick, which New York had earned with a 23-59 record in Larry Brown's first season.

Shane Morales to Join OSU Football Program

(CORVALLIS) - Shane Morales has signed a financial aid agreement to attend Oregon State University and is expected to join the football program following spring term, head coach Mike Riley announced Tuesday.

Morales is a 6-2 195-pound wide receiver who will transfer to OSU after one season at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif.

He caught 36 passes for 598 yards and two touchdowns last season for the 12-1 Cougars.

Morales was a teammate of current projected starting linebacker Joey LaRocque and will enter the 2006 season as a sophomore.

Robbins Named Wolves Baseball Boss

Interim tag is removed for Western Oregon’s Jeremiah Robbins.

(MONMOUTH) - 2006 Western Oregon interim baseball coach Jeremiah Robbins has been promoted to head baseball coach of the Wolves program, announced today by WOU athletic director Jon Carey.

Robbins served nearly the entire season as the team`s leader, after highly successful coach Terry Baumgartner resigned.

The Wolves went 40-16 this spring, winning the Great Northwest Athletic Conference for the sixth consecutive time and earning the No. 1 seed for the NCAA Division II west region tournament for the first time in school history.

Last week at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, the Wolves finished third at the event.