IN BRIEF

OLYMPICS

Obama still considering appearing before IOC

The White House said it is sending an advance team to Copenhagen, Denmark, to check out the possibility of a personal appearance by President Barack Obama before the International Olympic Committee.

A senior adviser to Obama confirmed Saturday night to The Associated Press that the advance team would only be making sure Obama has the option of going to appeal for Chicago, which is bidding to host the Olympics in 2016. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive plans.

The White House announced a week ago that first lady Michelle Obama will travel to Copenhagen ahead of the Oct. 2 vote by the IOC. The Chicago Tribune and ABC News reported on the advance team visit earlier Saturday.

UNLV

Men's golf in second at Air Force tourney

The UNLV men's golf team, boosted by a 7-under 281 in the first round, was in second place through two rounds of the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational at Air Force Academy, Colo.

The Rebels were at 9-under 567, three shots behind Utah in the 19-team field. Brett Kanda led UNLV with a 6-under 138 total, tied for third, and Derek Ernst (141) was tied for 10th.

Utah's Mike Branca and Northern Colorado's Steve Bidne were tied for the individual lead at 137.

Also: The UNLV women's golf team stood fourth through two rounds of the 18-team Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M.

UNLV posted a 1-under 583 total, eight shots behind first-place Pepperdine. Therese Koelbaek paced the Rebels with a 4-under 142 total, tied for fourth. The Rebels' Kristen Schelling (145) was tied for 13th.

Oregon's Kendra Little led the field at 7-under 139.

The UNLV cross country team took 20th among 27 teams at the UC Riverside Invitational in Riverside, Calif.

Lauren Petersen led the Rebels, covering the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 34.6 seconds to take 88th in the 217-runner field.

The Rebels finished with 555 points. UC Riverside won with 89, and Azusa Pacific's Jacky Kipwambok took the individual title in 16:29.5.

BOXING

Sylvester tops Lorenzo to claim IBF crown

Sebastian Sylvester captured the vacant IBF middleweight title with a split decision over Giovanni Lorenzo in Neubrandenburg, Germany.

Judge Pawel Kardyni scored it 116-112 and Alfred Asaro 115-113 for Sylvester, a 29-year-old German who'd lost his only other title fight to Felix Sturm last year. Judge Valerie Dorsett scored the fight 116-111 for Lorenzo.

Sylvester (32-3) started strong in the first two rounds before Lorenzo (27-2) won the middle rounds. Sylvester wound up landing more punches in the final rounds to win the close decision and the IBF title that Arthur Abraham vacated when he moved to super middleweight.

MISCELLANEOUS

Kessy earns women's Best of the Beach title

Jen Kessy claimed her second straight AVP Crocs Tour Best of the Beach women's title, teaming with Tyra Turner to beat Dianne DeNecochea and Elaine Youngs at Mandalay Bay.

Kessy, who needed a victory over DeNecochea in the rotating-partner tournament, got it when she and Turner won, 21-14, 25-23.

In the men's final, Phil Dalhausser claimed the title, pairing with John Hyden to beat Jeff Nygaard and Todd Rogers, 21-15, 21-10. Nygaard finished second.

Also: The Boston Bruins granted restricted free agent Phil Kessel's wish to be traded, making a deal with Toronto.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said Kessel told him in July he no longer wanted to play in Boston. The Bruins traded the rights to the 21-year-old former first-round pick to the Maple Leafs for Toronto's first-round picks in each of the next two drafts, plus the Leafs' second-round pick in 2010.

Kessel, who isn't expected to play until late November because of offseason shoulder surgery, then signed a five-year, $27 million deal with the Maple Leafs.

Regal Ransom made a triumphant return to the races with a wire-to-wire victory in the $750,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in Boosier City, La.

Regal Ransom finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby in his last start and was sidelined after that with minor leg issues.

But with Richard Migliore aboard, Regal Ransom captured the Grade 2 Super Derby by 11/4 lengths over Blame. The winning time for the 1 1/8-mile race was 1 minute, 49.63 seconds.

USA Swimming voted to ban high-tech swim suits three months before the sport's world governing body is expected to do the same.

More than 400 delegates representing swim clubs from all 50 states voted overwhelmingly for early implementation of a ban on the suits at USA Swimming's annual convention in Chicago.