In Brief

COLLEGES

Kansas athletic director Perkins allegedly a blackmail target

Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins said Tuesday he had been urged by lawyers not to publicly discuss police reports he filed that claim he was the target of blackmail.

Perkins, 65, also said he was determined to stay on the job and help steer Kansas through a possible breakup of the Big 12 Conference, the main topic of conversation in league meetings that opened Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo.

A former employee of the Kansas athletic department has accused Perkins of accepting $35,000 in exercise equipment in exchange for letting the company's owners get access to premium men's basketball tickets.

Perkins has denied the charge, as has the company's former owner. Police said the investigation into the blackmail allegations is ongoing.

Also: Seton Hall forward Herb Pope is back home in Pennsylvania resting after a nearly monthlong stay in a Livingston, N.J., hospital.

Pope, the Big East Conference's leading rebounder last season, had been hospitalized since collapsing during a workout at the school in late April.

Citing privacy laws, Seton Hall athletic director Joe Quinlan could not discuss what caused the Big East Conference's leading rebounder this past season to collapse. It is expected that Pope will play for the Pirates next season.

Pope averaged 11.5 points and 10.7 rebounds last season.

Four local high school softball seniors signed last week to play at College of Southern Nevada.

Eldorado infielders Megan Jaramillo and Gabriela Trillo, and Las Vegas High pitcher/infielder Monique Hernandez and catcher Chelsea Lewis signed to play for the Coyotes.

The players join Green Valley's Alicia Firelein, Bonanza's Cheyenne Wells and College of Southern Nevada High's Elizabeth Llanas as locals to sign with CSN this year.

MISCELLANEOUS

Rachel Alexandra's return date set; race to be determined

The owner of Rachel Alexandra said his Horse of the Year is likely to make her next start June 12, though the race has yet to be determined.

Majority owner Jess Jackson said in a news release that Rachel Alexandra is being considered for two races at Churchill Downs, one at Belmont Park and another at Delaware Park.

The 4-year-old filly is winless in two starts this year after rolling to an 8-0 record in 2009.

Jackson said the options are the Stephen Foster and the Fleur de Lis at Churchill, the Ogden Phipps at Belmont and the Obeah at Delaware. All are June 12. The filly is training at Churchill.

Also: The Presidents Cup is coming to Muirfield Village in 2013, two officials said, giving the course Jack Nicklaus built the distinction of hosting golf's three biggest cup competitions.

Muirfield Village, in Dublin, Ohio, held the Ryder Cup in 1987 and the Solheim Cup in 1998.

Nicklaus and PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem were expected to have a news conference today at the Memorial.

Star defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, 40, put off retirement and signed a one-year, $6.2 million contract to remain with the Detroit Red Wings.