In Brief

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Latest NCAA report: Athletes
are graduating at record rate

College athletes are outperforming other students in the classroom, and they're doing it at a record rate.

Eighty-two percent of freshman athletes who entered school in 2004-05 earned degrees within six years, according to the NCAA's newest Graduation Success Rate. The report, released Tuesday, also shows that the four-year graduation rate hit 80 percent for the first time.

Both numbers had been stuck at 79 percent.

Even the traditionally lower federal rate hit 65 percent, a record high for athletes, compared with 63 percent for all other college students The difference between the federal figures and the NCAA numbers is that the government doesn't account for transfer students, regardless of whether they graduate.

One possible reason for the increases is that the Ivy League schools were included in the NCAA calculations for the first time this year. They had not previously been included because the Ivy League does not award scholarships based on athletic performance.

Also: A Democratic congressman will hold a round-table discussion Nov. 1 on the impact of "back-room deals, payoffs and scandals" in college sports.

Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush said the session will be moderated by ESPN's Jeremy Schaap. Among the participants: NBA players Shane Battier and Thaddeus Young; Ramogi Huma, president of the National College Players Association; academic experts; a former sports agent; and a sports economist.

Rush's office said participants will offer their perspectives on the current state of college sports and recent cases of NCAA violations.

The UNLV men's golf team captured the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate in Las Cruces, N.M., for the 17th-ranked Rebels' third win in four events to close out their fall season.

UNLV shot a final-round 9-under-par 275 to finish at 34-under 818, eight shots better than runner-up Wichita State in the 14-team field.

The Rebels had three players finish in the top six individually, led by Nicholas Maruri, who placed third at 11-under 202 after a final-round 1-under 70. Derek Ernst (70) was fourth at 204, and junior Kevin Penner (67) was sixth at 207.

Medalist honors went to Wichita State's Hunter Sparks, who finished the two-day, three-round tournament at 14-under 199 after a final-round 66.

The UNLV women's golf team moved up four spots and into a tie for fifth after the second round of the three-day, 17-team Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown at Boulder Creek Golf Club.

Led by Katerina Prorokova's 3-under-par 69 and Charlotte Brooks' 1-under 71, the Rebels shot even-par 288 to stand at 2-over 578 with Idaho. The Rebels trail two-day leader UC Davis by 11 strokes.

Grace Na of Pepperdine followed her opening 63 with a 72 to lead Idaho's Kayla Mortellaro by two shots.

MISCELLANEOUS

English soccer captain Terry
investigated for racial abuse

England captain John Terry is being investigated by The Football Association and police over allegations he racially abused a black opponent while playing for Chelsea.

Terry was accused of directing a racial slur at Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during Sunday's 2-0 Premier League loss, and footage of the incident has spread on the Internet.

It is the latest incident to blight Terry's scandal-plagued career, coming just seven months before he is due to lead England at the European Championship. The center back only regained the England captaincy in March -- from Ferdinand's brother Rio-- after being forgiven for a sex scandal by coach Fabio Capello ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

Also: Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki rallied to defeat Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 in their opening round-robin match at the WTA Championships in Istanbul.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and U.S. Open winner Sam Stosur also began the group stage with victories at the season-ending tournament. Kvitova beat Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-2, 6-4 in the Red Group -- which also includes Wozniacki and Radwanska -- and Stosur defeated Maria Sharapova 6-1, 7-5 in the White Group.

Tizway won't run in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 5 because of a leg injury that will force him to be retired to stud.

Trainer Jim Bond said Tizway did well in his morning gallop, but his leg later showed signs of swelling and heat. Veterinarians found a bruise, and an ultrasound revealed a suspensory injury in his left front leg.

The $5 million BC Classic was scheduled to be Tizway's final race, so the injury merely hastened the 6-year-old horse's retirement.

Leon Hayes, a senior safety/running back at Desert Pines High School, made an oral commitment to Texas-El Paso following his official recruiting visit last weekend.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Hayes said the Miners recruited him as a safety.