Mike Stoops named coach at Arizona
TUCSON, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Mike Stoops Saturday was named the new football coach at Arizona.
Stoops becomes the 28th coach in the school's history and his hiring ends a nine-week search that began after John Mackovic was fired on Sept. 28.
"I'm obviously very excited about the opportunity to become a head coach and lead my own program, and pleased to be working with a great administrative group that has shown its support for football," Stoops said. "I think the quality of the people with whom I've been dealing in the hiring process is one of the compelling reasons I took the job."
Stoops, who turns 42 next week, runs the defense for the top-ranked Sooners with Brent Venables and also serves as associate head coach. He is the youngest head football coach at Arizona since Larry Smith was hired in 1980 at the age of 40.
Arizona finished a dismal 2-10 with a 28-7 loss to Arizona State on Friday, settling for a first-ever 10th-place finish in the Pac-10.
Sorenstam big winner on first day of Skins
LAQUINTA, Calif., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Annika Sorenstam, first woman to play in the 21-year history of the Skins Game, sank a bunker shot at the ninth hole Saturday for eagle and $175,000.
Sorenstam looked like she would go without a skin after sending her approach into a bunker at the 524-yard ninth hole. But she hit a sand wedge that found the cup from 39 yards to win four skins and set a first-day Skins Game earnings record.
The 33-year-old Swede outearned Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples and Mark O'Meara -- a trio that has combined for 52 PGA Tour titles, including three majors.
Couples win one skin and $25,000. Mickelson tapped in from two feet for birdie at No. 3 for two skins and $50,000, then made a 25-footer at No. 5 for another $50,000.
There is $700,000 at stake Sunday, with the final hole worth $200,000.
Jayhawks lose Lee to shoulder injury
LAWRENCE, Kan., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Guard Michael Lee of Kansas could miss as much as eight weeks after suffering a broken right collarbone in practice on Friday.
The Lawrence Journal-World reported that Lee, a 6-3 junior from Portland, Ore., sustained the injury while running through a screen. He will not need surgery.
"This is a big blow to our team," said Coach Bill Self. "Mike has done so well lately. We will miss his ability on the court greatly, but we might miss his experience and leadership even more. Now our young guys will have to step up and try to replace him, and we will all be looking forward to getting him back."
Lee, the Jawyhawks' shooting guard, started each of their first two games. He is averaging 6.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 25.5 minutes.
Self told the paper that J.R. Giddens, Jeremy Case, Jeff Hawkins, and Bryant Nash would have to step up to fill the void.
Baseball announces Hall of Fame ballot
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., Nov. 309 (UPI) -- Dennis Eckersley, the American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner in 1992, is among the 15 first-timers on the 2004 Hall of Fame ballot.
The ballot was mailed out this week to more than 500 voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. The results were announced Saturday.
Eckersley had a dual career as a starter and reliever and finished with 197 wins and 390 saves.
Two other former MVPs, Kevin Mitchell and Terry Pendleton, also are among the first-year candidates eligible in 2004, as are Paul Molitor, Cecil Fielder, Dennis Martinez, Doug Drabek, and 1993 World Series hero Joe Carter.
The other first-time candidates are Juan Samuel, Jim Eisenreich, Danny Darwin, Jimmy Key, Randy Myers, Dave Stieb, and Bob Tewksbury. Eight other former MVP winners, Andre Dawson, Steve Garvey, Keith Hernandez, Don Mattingly, Dave Parker, Jim Rice, Ryne Sandberg, and Dale Murphy, are holdovers.
Election results will be announced Jan. 6.
