In Sports from United Press International

Tampa's Roy banned for 13 games

NEW YORK, April 3 (UPI) -- Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Andre Roy received one of the longest suspensions in NHL history Tuesday, a 13-game ban for leaving the penalty box and physically abusing an official.

The incident occurred with 9:51 left in Monday night's 6-4 loss to the New York Rangers. After an altercation with a pair of Rangers, Roy left the box and returned to the ice. In his attempt to engage the players in New York's penalty box, Roy used excessive force against a linesman.

Roy, who leads the team with 211 penalty minutes, received 10 games for leaving the box and three for abuse of an official--both automatic suspensions.

He will miss the last seven games of this season and the first six in 2002-03.

The 13-game ban matches the seventh-longest in NHL history and is the most severe since Marty McSorley received a record 23-game suspension for slashing Donald Brashear to the head in February 2000.

Pierce advances at Sarasota tennis

SARASOTA, Fla., April 3 (UPI) -- Mary Pierce, playing for the first time since the Australian Open, coasted Tuesday into the second round of the Sarasota Open.

Pierce, who was forced out her first Austalia Open match with a pulled abdomen muscle, posted a 6-3, 6-3 victory over No. 7 Ai Sugiyama of Japan.

The 2000 French Open winner and 1995 Australian Open champion, Pierce missed the better part of last year with ankle and back injuries. She was once ranked No. 3 in the world, but has slipped to 253 due to injuries.

Second seed Meghann Shaughnessy overcame a slow start to defeat fellow American and wild card Jennifer Hopkins, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5. Shaughnessy will face Germany's Marlene Weingartner in the next round.

Stewart cancels Indy 500 plans

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., April 3 (UPI) -- Tony Stewart has decided to skip the Indianapolis 500 this year, with a vision of the NASCAR Winston Cup championship after a strong start to the season.

Stewart, who ran double duty by competing in both the Indy 500 and the Winston Cup Coca-Cola 600 on the same day in 2001 and 1999, announced Tuesday he will only concentrate on NASCAR's longest race on May 26.

"Running Indy again is something I've put a lot thought into, but when it came right down to it, the long term goal of winning the Winston Cup championship won out," Stewart said.

In his rookie year of 1999 on the Winston Cup circuit, Stewart finished ninth in the Indianapolis 500 with his own team--Tri-Star Motorsports--and was an even more impressive fourth in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in North Carolina, completing a total of 1,090 miles. He improved those results last year when he was sixth in the Indy 500 and third in the Coca-Cola 600. Stewart finished both races on the lead lap, completing all 1,100 racing miles.

Stewart's first career double duty put him in the record books, as he logged the most racing miles in one day by a driver.

The 30-year-old has finished in the top five in three of six races this season, taking the checkered flag at Atlanta for his 13th career Winston Cup win. He is 12th in the standings, 204 points behind leader Sterling Marlin.

49ers sign Parrish for 5 years

SAN FRANCISCO, April 3 (UPI) -- The San Francisco 49ers apparently have found a replacement in the secondary for Lance Schulters.

It was reported Tuesday that the 49ers reached a five-year contract agreement with unrestricted free agent strong safety Tony Parrish, who would replace Schulters in the secondary.

According to the report, Parrish will sign a contract worth $12.025 million, including a $3 million signing bonus. Schulters reportedly was seeking a similar deal, but team official recently indicated that they would be unable to re-sign the veteran.

A 1998 second-round pick, Parrish, 26, was an immediate starter with Chicago. In 64 career games, the 5-10, 208-pounder has collected 329 tackles, eight interceptions and four sacks. He had 67 tackles and three interceptions last season.

Boxing ref Mills Lane has stroke

RENO, April 3 (UPI) -- Mills Lane, who became a celebrity as a boxing referee, suffered a stroke Monday.

The 64-year-old Lane was taken to Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Reno. The hospital was expected to report on his conditionn later Tuesday.

Lane is a former NCAA boxing champion and district judge who has refereed some of boxing's biggest fights and had his own television show.

The diminutive, squeeky-voiced Lane was in the national spotlight in 1997 when he disqualified Mike Tyson for biting Evander Holyfield's ear.

Lane parlayed the attention into a syndicated TV show, "Judge Mills Lane," which was canceled a year ago.

Hazeltine to host 2016 Ryder Cup

CHASKA, Minn., April 3 (UPI) -- Hazeltine National Golf Club, the site of Tony Jacklin's U.S. Open win and one of Payne Stewart's two Open victories, Tuesday was named host for the 2016 Ryder Cup.

Hazeltine will host two PGA Championships--this year and in 2009 -- before staging the international event between the United States and Europe for the first time.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1962 and remodeled by Rees Jones in 1987, Hazeltine has hosted two U.S. Opens, a U.S. Senior Open and a pair of U.S. Women's Opens. It also will be the site for the 2006 U.S. Amateur.

In 1970, Jacklin became the first British-born golfer in 50 years to win the U.S. Open. The late Stewart claimed the same crown at the course in 1991.

Originated in 1927, the Ryder Cup used to be held in odd-numbered years but was postponed in 2001 because of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The United States will defend its title from September 27-29 at The Belfry in England. The event will move to Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., in 2004.

Kent State promotes Christian

KENT, Ohio, April 3 (UPI) -- Assistant Jim Christian was promoted Tuesday to head basketball coach at Kent State, which had a surprising run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. He succeeds the departed Stan Heath who moved on to Arkansas.

Reportedly the only candidate interviewed, Christian, 37, signed as five-year contract. It is his first head coaching job.

Heath took over at Arkansas after guiding Kent State to the Mid-American Conference's first-ever Elite Eight appearance. The Golden Flashes lost to eventual national runner-up Indiana.

Heath's lead assistant, Christian is the school's third coach in as many years. A year ago, Heath left his assistant post at Michigan State to take over for Gary Waters, who was hired by Rutgers.

Daley withdraws from BellSouth

ATLANTA, April 3 (UPI) -- John Daly, described by his agent as being "worn out" from a bout with the flu, has pulled out of the BellSouth Classic that begins Thursday.

Agent John Mascatello said Daly "does not want to play unless he's prepared to play." Daly won this tournament in 1994.

Also pulling out, for unspecified reasons, were Tom Lehman, the 1996 British Open champ, and Greg Kraft.

Rams re-sign WR Ricky Proehl

ST. LOUIS, April 3 (UPI) -- The high-powered St. Louis Rams retained a member of their offense on Tuesday, re-signing wide receiver Ricky Proehl to a one-year contract.

In a reserve role, Proehl played in all 16 games and finished fourth on the club with 40 receptions for 563 yards and five touchdowns. In the Rams' Super Bowl XXXVI loss to New England, the 12-year veteran had three catches for 71 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Proehl, 34, has played four seasons with the Rams, catching 164 passes for 2,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Overall, Proehl has 537 receptions for 7,055 yards and 42 touchdowns in 178 career games.