East Carolina

Erin Cann of Bordentown, The Inquirer's South Jersey girls' soccer player of the year, has signed a letter of intent with East Carolina. Cann, a four-year starting midfielder, said she will receive a partial soccer scholarship. She made her decision late last week. Cann chose East Carolina over the College of New Jersey. "East Carolina has an excellent academic reputation and also offers my major, occupational therapy," Cann said. "I had a good visit three weeks ago and thought I would fit in well.

St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli could have used a deadeye shooter or two last night. His Hawks shot just 38.5 percent from the field in a 68-64 loss at East Carolina. "We have to create layups, and tonight we didn't complete the three-on-twos and the two-on-ones that we should have completed," Martelli said. "We have to score layups, or we're not going to be in the win column. " The Hawks (3-2) are 0-for-North Carolina, their other loss coming to Duke in Durham, 89-60, on Nov. 20. "The preparation obviously was not proper to win a road game," Martelli said.

Gloucester Catholic junior infielder Joe Brooks has made an early college decision, deciding to accept a partial baseball scholarship to East Carolina. Gloucester Catholic coach Dennis Barth said Brooks received considerable college interest while competing this summer for Brooklawn's Senior American Legion team. Brooks was named the most valuable player of the New Jersey state tournament as Brooklawn won its 24th state championship. Brooklawn then finished second in the Mid-Atlantic Regional in West Lawn, Pa. Brooks also enjoyed a standout sophomore season at Gloucester Catholic, helping the Rams win the Non-Public B state title.

It's too bad Texas Christian can't speed up its move to Conference USA. After a convincing 28-14 victory over No. 20 East Carolina last night night in the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl, the Horned Frogs believed they were ready to move on to bigger things. It will have to wait a year, though. TCU, currently a member of the Western Athletic Conference, is not scheduled to join East Carolina in C-USA until 2001. "Maybe we should go in next year," TCU coach Dennis Franchione said.

Memories. That's what East Carolina (0-3) has in its favor today, when the Pirates take their sad-sack act into Beaver Stadium to play Penn State. Memories of last season's first meeting with the Nittany Lions, when East Carolina pushed Penn State to the brink before losing, 17-10. Memories of how the Pirates outgained State in total offense, 385-323, but coughed up a chance to win with a fourth-quarter fumble. Memories of how they punctured State's offense with 258 yards rushing.

East Carolina sophomore defensive back Chris Hall of Pemberton High played a major role in the Pirates' 14-10 upset victory over Virginia Tech last week. Hall, a second-year starter, had a season-high nine tackles along with a fumble recovery. He leads the Pirates this season with six pass deflections. Hall, who last year was named one of the country's top freshman cornerbacks by the Sporting News, has 29 tackles and one interception this season. Another area starter for East Carolina is sophomore tight end Luke Fisher of Shawnee.

One of the bright spots for East Carolina's football team in its 37-7 loss to South Carolina on Saturday was the play of junior defensive back Chris Hall. The Pemberton High graduate registered 20 tackles and returned an interception 66 yards to set up the Pirates' only score. Hall has 55 tackles, third-best on the team, this season. East Carolina tight end Luke Fisher, a junior out of Shawnee, has caught 26 passes for 412 yards (15.9 average) and four touchdowns in the Pirates' seven games this season.

Drexel coach Bill Herrion has emerged as the leading candidate to fill the vacancy at East Carolina, sources close to the situation indicated. Sources say a press conference to introduce Herrion could take place as early as this afternoon. Herrion could not be reached last night for comment. But he visited the campus March 22 and said he was impressed. Herrion turned down the Duquesne job four years ago. In 1997, he removed himself from consideration at Rutgers, where he was the top candidate, after contract negotiations broke down.

East Carolina can't play the underdog role anymore. After opening the season by upsetting two ranked teams, the Pirates earned themselves a place in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in 9 years. East Carolina was No. 14 in the media poll released yesterday. Southern California remained No. 1 and Georgia was No. 2. Ohio State's sluggish 26-14 victory against Ohio, without star tailback Chris Wells (foot injury), on Saturday cost the Buckeyes two spots in the rankings.

An assistant football coach at East Carolina is accused of submitting more than $11,000 worth of fraudulent expense receipts, according to police in Greenville, N.C. Defensive line coach Donnie Thompson was arrested yesterday and charged with one count of obtaining property by false pretenses. Thompson created and submitted false receipts to be paid back $11,373.70, an amount he claimed he spent while recruiting players, but he was not entitled to reimbursement, according to a warrant filed by university police.

Four seasons after local basketball star Dawn Staley left the women's coaching job at Temple to fill the vacancy at South Carolina, the Gamecocks finally are achieving the success she enjoyed after taking over the Owls in the spring of 2000. South Carolina improved to 11-2 and made Staley's second homecoming more enjoyable Wednesday night with a 62-58 nonconference win over Drexel at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. Unlike their last visit in December 2010, when they were shocked by Boston University in St. Joseph's tournament, the Gamecocks withstood a 14-5 late run by their hosts.

It's a dream come true, times five. "When we were freshmen, I never could have imagined this would happen to all of us," said Rob Alessandrine, the slick shortstop who is one of five Gloucester Catholic baseball players who will sign NCAA Division I scholarships on Wednesday. Alessandrine, outfielder Pat Kane, and infielders Joe Brooks, John Brue, and Brett Tenuto have been key players for Gloucester Catholic teams that have won the last two Non-Public B state championships and pushed the program back into national prominence.

PRESEASON BASEBALL With last year's record in parentheses. 1. Gloucester Catholic (24-7). Senior LHP Cody Brown (9-1, 76 Ks) and sophomore RHP Mike Shawaryn (4-1, 76 Ks) lead a deep rotation, while a loaded junior class of hitters includes East Carolina recruit Joe Brooks (.446) and four others who batted better than .400 as sophomores. 2. Lenape (23-5). Penn recruit Jeff McGarry (7-2, 1.51 ERA) is an ace RHP, and St. Joseph's recruit and senior IF Stefan Kancylarz (.412, 33 RBIs)

The Inquirer TOP 10   PRESEASON BASEBALL With last year's record in parentheses.   1. Gloucester Catholic (24-7). Senior LHP Cody Brown (9-1, 76 Ks) and sophomore RHP Mike Shawaryn (4-1, 76 Ks) lead a deep rotation, while a loaded junior class of hitters includes East Carolina recruit Joe Brooks (.446) and four others who batted better than .400 as sophomores. 2. Lenape (23-5). Penn recruit Jeff McGarry (7-2, 1.51 ERA) is an ace RHP, and St. Joseph's recruit and senior IF Stefan Kancylarz (.412, 33 RBIs)

The top 25 teams in the USA Today college football coaches poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Saturday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking: Rec   Pts   PR 1. Oregon (42) 6-0   1,452   2    2. Boise St. (11) 6-0   1,385   3    3. Oklahoma (4) 6-0   1,334   6    4. TCU (1) 7-0   1,300   5    5. Auburn (1)

The top 25 teams in the Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Saturday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking: Rec   Pts   PR 1. Oregon (39) 6-0   1,471   2    2. Boise St. (15) 6-0   1,433   3    3. Oklahoma (3) 6-0   1,355   6    4. TCU (3) 7-0   1,340   4    5. Auburn 7-0   1,279   7    6. LSU 7-0   1,132   9    7. Alabama 6-1   1,121   8    8. Michigan St. 7-0   1,062   13    9. Utah 6-0   1,019   11    10. Wisconsin 6-1   920   18    11. Ohio St. 6-1   895   1    12. Stanford 5-1   828   14    13. Iowa 5-1   768   15    14. Nebraska 5-1   684   5    15. Arizona 5-1   619   17    16. Florida St. 6-1   615   16    17. Oklahoma St. 6-0   575   20    18. Missouri 6-0   552   21    19. S. Carolina 4-2   372   10    20. West Virginia 5-1   346   25    21. Arkansas 4-2   343   12    22. Texas 4-2   267   ?

Gloucester Catholic junior infielder Joe Brooks has made an early college decision, deciding to accept a partial baseball scholarship to East Carolina. Gloucester Catholic coach Dennis Barth said Brooks received considerable college interest while competing this summer for Brooklawn's Senior American Legion team. Brooks was named the most valuable player of the New Jersey state tournament as Brooklawn won its 24th state championship. Brooklawn then finished second in the Mid-Atlantic Regional in West Lawn, Pa. Brooks also enjoyed a standout sophomore season at Gloucester Catholic, helping the Rams win the Non-Public B state title.

No. 5 Cincinnati trailed No. 14 Pittsburgh by 21 points late in the first half, a perfect season and BCS bowl berth in peril. Teammate after teammate came up to wide receiver Mardy Gilyard asking for a big play. He listened, silently whispered a prayer, then relied on his speed and can't-tackle-me attitude to change the momentum in a game the Bearcats led only once - at the end. Tony Pike's 29-yard touchdown pass to Armon Binns with 33 seconds left capped a comeback from a three-TD deficit as the Bearcats (12-0, 7-0)

Freshman Ryan Williams ran for a season-high 179 yards and No. 22 Virginia Tech avoided its first three-game losing streak in 6 years, holding off host East Carolina, 16-3, last night. Williams, whose fumble in the closing minutes last week gave North Carolina a chance at a winning field goal on the final play, surpassed his 164-yard effort against Marshall and became just the second 100-yard rusher against the Pirates this season. He also became the second Hokies freshman to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons following Darren Evans, who did it last year.