IN BRIEF

COLLEGES

Huskies report football recruiting violations

Washington is self-reporting to the Pac-10 Conference a second recruiting violation this month by new football coach Steve Sarkisian.

Though the violations are secondary, any such missteps are a sensitive issue for Washington, a former national power program that has been in disarray for most of this decade.

"I want to make it clear that we do not tolerate NCAA violations," Huskies athletic director Scott Woodward said Thursday.

Woodward said a violation occurred when Sarkisian, the former Southern California offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator Nick Holt, who also just arrived from USC, met with two high school seniors and their coach last week in Los Angeles at a hair salon and a coffee shop.

Washington acknowledged the NCAA does not permit coaches to have off-campus contact with recruits until July 1 prior to their senior year. It is also forbidden to have contact with recruits in the presence of media.

Also: Dennis Felton, who led Georgia on a surprising run through the Southeastern Conference tournament last season, was fired, one day after the Bulldogs dropped to 9-11 and 0-5 in the SEC with a 26-point loss to Florida.

North Carolina State's games against Wake Forest have been moved again following the death of longtime Wolfpack women's coach Kay Yow.

The Wolfpack has moved its home game against Wake Forest up a week to Feb. 19. The road game is being pushed back a week to Feb. 17 due to a scheduling conflict for the host arena.

N.C. State was scheduled to play at Wake Forest on Monday, two days after Yow's death. That game was postponed to Feb. 10.

Sean Kazmar, who played shortstop for two seasons at the College of Southern Nevada, will have his No. 4 jersey retired before Saturday's game against Yavapai College (Ariz.).

Kazmar is the first Coyote to make it to the major leagues. A 2002 graduate of Las Vegas High School, Kazmar was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the fifth round of the 2004 draft.

He made his major league debut Aug. 13 against the Milwaukee Brewers and recorded a base hit in his first at-bat.

Mid-American Conference commissioner Rick Chryst is leaving the conference he has led since 1999.

HOCKEY

ECHL changes format for playoff seeding

The ECHL has revised its playoff format in the National Conference.

If the fifth-place team from the West Division has a greater winning percentage than the fourth-place team in the Pacific Division, the fifth-place team will become the fourth seed from the Pacific Division, which was left with four teams after the Fresno Falcons folded in December.

The Wranglers (18-17-4) are third in the Pacific Division.

Also: Las Vegas goalie Kevin Lalande was recalled by the American Hockey League's Quad City Flames on Wednesday, but is expected to return for today's 7:30 p.m. game against the Bakersfield Condors at the Orleans Arena.

The Wranglers, Condors and officials will wear special uniforms during the game as part of "Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Prison Uniform Night."

MISCELLANEOUS

Big League Weekend tickets on sale Monday

Individual game tickets for the two Big League Weekends at Cashman Field will go on sale at noon Monday at the stadium box office.

The Chicago White Sox will play the Chicago Cubs at 7:05 p.m. March 4 and at 1:05 p.m. March 5, and the Colorado Rockies will play the Seattle Mariners at 7:05 p.m. April 3 and at 12:10 p.m. April 4.

Tickets also can be purchased through TicketMaster (474-4000, www.ticketmaster.com).

Also: The ridiculed international rule to start an extra inning with two runners on base will be used at this year's World Baseball Classic, where it will be implemented beginning in the 13th.

Under the rule, each half-inning starting with the 13th will begin with runners on first and second. The regular batting order will be used from where it was the previous inning.

Cyclist Lance Armstrong joined forces with anti-smoking groups, urging Texas lawmakers to pass a statewide ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and other indoor work and public places.

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena dismissed reports from Italy that David Beckham could stay with AC Milan beyond his current loan.

Beckham joined AC Milan in December on a loan that ends March 8. He has started four games and scored twice.

"He's going to be back here March 9," Arena said.

A woman accused of stealing more than $89,000 from Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao has been charged with grand theft and forgery.

Pia Anatalia Quijada, 27, was arraigned Wednesday and is being held on $90,000 bail, the district attorney's office said.

Pacquiao, who made at least $11 million for beating Oscar De La Hoya in December at the MGM Grand Garden, knew Quijada because she is married to the boxer's driver. Pacquiao asked her for help with the U.S. banking system, the statement said.

Three-time Olympic gold medal hurdler Glenn "Jeep" Davis has died after a long illness. He was 74.

Davis was the gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and in the 400-meter hurdles and 1600-meter relay at the 1960 Rome games.

In 1958, Davis set world records in the 440-yard run and in the 400-meter low hurdles.

Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy shot an 8-under-par 64 to take the clubhouse lead in the first round of the fog-delayed Dubai Desert Classic.

McIlroy, 19, had nine birdies and a bogey.

Thursday was the second anniversary of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's death.

On Saturday, Barbaro's full brother, Nicanor, will make his first career start in the eighth race at Florida's Gulfstream Park.

The United States plans to submit simultaneous bids to soccer's governing body for the right to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.