USC appeals NCAA sanctions | College athletics

College athletics

USC asks NCAA to reduce sanctions on football program: USC filed an appeal with the NCAA on Friday, asking that several sanctions on its football program be reduced because they are "too severe" and "inconsistent with precedent."

USC appealed certain aspects of this month's ruling. Among the penalties were a two-year bowl ban, four years of probation, scholarship losses and removal of several victories. School officials said they will accept a bowl ban for the upcoming season and certain scholarship penalties in football, but believe the full sanctions were unduly harsh.

USC asked for the two-year postseason ban to be reduced to one year. The school also wants the NCAA's scholarship reductions in football from 2011 to 2013 to be reduced to five lost scholarships in each season, rather than 10.

USC already announced it would appeal immediately after the sanctions were handed down June 10.

North Carolina State hires Maryland's Yow as athletic director: North Carolina State has hired Maryland's Debbie Yow as athletic director to replace Lee Fowler, who resigned last month and ends a 10-year tenure with the Wolfpack next week.

Yow, 58, is the younger sister of Kay Yow, a Hall of Fame women's basketball coach who spent more than three decades with North Carolina State before her death in January 2009 after a long fight against cancer.

NFL

Giants draft choice Jones is injured in wreck: Chad Jones, a safety from Louisiana State who was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round this year, underwent surgery for a broken left leg and ankle after a dawn wreck in which his SUV struck a pole in New Orleans.

"The surgery was successful," said Jones' father, Al, after emerging from a hospital. "The rehab is going to take awhile."

Lawyer says Vick wasn't involved in shooting outside club: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was not involved or present when a shooting took place outside a Virginia Beach, Va., nightclub where he had celebrated his birthday, according to his lawyer, Larry Woodward. Vick's 30th birthday is Saturday.

Horse racing

Atta Boy Roy runs second at Prairie Meadows: Washington-bred Atta Boy Roy, winner of the Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes in Kentucky two starts earlier, was second in the $125,000 Iowa Sprint Handicap at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.

Atta Boy Roy, a 5-year-old ridgling trained by Valorie Lund and ridden by Calvin Borel, was favored at 11-10 and finished 4 ¾ lengths behind wire-to-wire winner Majesticperfection. Majesticperfection, a 4-year-old colt trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, ran 6 furlongs in a track-record 1 minute, 7.24 seconds and paid $8.20 to win.

Washington-bred Peaceful Reign, trained by Vann Belvoir and ridden by Gallyn Mitchell, dead-heated for fourth at 31-1 in the field of seven.

Earlier on the card, 4-year-old filly No Flies On Doodle — a Washington-bred trained by Belvoir and ridden by Mitchell who went off at 7-1 — was last of six in the $100,000 Saylorville. Secret Gypsy, a 5-year-old mare, won in 1:08.28 for 6 furlongs and paid $6.20.

Soccer

MLS teams play to scoreless draw: Real Salt Lake and the visiting San Jose Earthquakes played to a scoreless draw in the first Major League Soccer match since the league took a break for the group stage of the World Cup in South Africa.

Cycling

Boonen to miss Tour de France: Quick Step team officials say former world champion Tom Boonen, a 29-year-old Belgian, will miss the Tour de France next month because of tendinitis around his left kneecap.

Softball

Canney makes successful debut for U.S. team: Pitcher Eileen Canney made her first appearance for the United States, leading the Americans past New Zealand 12-2 for their second consecutive victory at the world championships in Caracas, Venezuela.

The United States, with Monica Abbott on the mound, later improved to 3-0 by beating Venezuela 7-0 in five innings.

Seattle Times news services