COLLEGE BASKETBALL

CAPEL LEAVES VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH FOR OKLAHOMA Jeff Capel was hired as Oklahoma’s basketball coach yesterday, resigning at Virginia Commonwealth to replace Kelvin Sampson and take over a program under NCAA investigation. Capel, a former Duke player, was 79-41 in four seasons as coach at VCU. He signed a two-year contract extension last month that ran through 2012.

The Sooners are awaiting a decision from the NCAA in a case involving more than 550 improper recruiting phone calls by Sampson and his staff. The accusations against Oklahoma include “lack of institutional control,” one of the NCAA’s most serious findings. Oklahoma has argued for a lesser “failure in monitoring” finding and instituted self-imposed sanctions including probation and recruiting cutbacks.

The 31 year-old Capel led VCU to the Colonial Athletic Association title and an NCAA tournament berth in 2004 and then to the NIT in 2005 – the school’s first consecutive postseason berths since 1985.

BASEBALL

WINFIELD LEADS COLLEGE HALL NOMINEES Dave Winfield, Pete Incaviglia, and Robin Ventura are among 46 nominees for the inaugural class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame.The finalists will be announced April 26, followed by an induction ceremony July 4 in Lubbock,Texas.The 22 former players, 12 former coaches, and 12 pre-1947 veterans will be voted on according to their college achievements.The list will be pared down through two rounds of voting by an 80-member committee.

Winfield led the University of Minnesota as a pitcher and outfielder, and was chosen the Most Outstanding Player of the 1973 College World Series.He was 19-4 with a 2.24 ERA and 229 strikeouts in 169 innings in his three-year career.

Incaviglia was one of college baseball’s most feared sluggers, setting the career marks for homers with 100 in just three years at Oklahoma State. His 1985 season is the most impressive offensive performance in college history, with 48 home runs, 143 RBI, 285 total bases and a 1.140 slugging percentage in 74 games – all remain as single-season Division I records.

Ventura gained national recognition in 1987 with his 58-game hitting streak – still a Division I record – and had a career batting average of .428 at Oklahoma State.

Other nominated players include: Joe Carter (Wichita St.); Will Clark (Mississippi St.); Bob Horner (Arizona St.); Brooks Kieschnick (Texas); Barry Larkin (Michigan); Fred Lynn (USC); and John Olerud (Washington St.)

RED SOX PUT CRISP ON 15-DAY DL Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday after injuring his finger sliding into third base. To fill the roster spot, the Red Sox purchased the contract of outfielder Dustan Mohr from Triple-A Pawtucket. Manager Terry Francona expects Crisp to miss several weeks. Crisp, who joined the Red Sox in a trade with Cleveland on January 27, was hurt in Baltimore last Saturday – a non-displaced fracture at the base of his left index finger. In five games, he is batting .333 with six runs, no RBI, and two stolen bases.

BOXING

ALI SELLS NAME FOR $50 MILLION Muhammad Ali, one of the world’s most recognized people, has sold 80% of the marketing rights to his name and likeness to a firm for $50 million.The 64-year-old former heavyweight champion, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, will retain a 20% interest in the business.The new venture will be operated by a company called G.O.A.T. LLC, an acronym for “the Greatest of All Time.”

“This relationship with CKX will help guarantee that, for generations to come, people of all nations will understand my beliefs and my purpose,” Ali said in a statement issued yesterday by the company.

CKX holds the rights to the IDOLS television brand, which includes the show “American Idol.”

– Associated Press