Ohio St. Won’t Let Clarett Practice

Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett will be held out of preseason football practice until questions regarding his eligibility are settled, the school said late Wednesday night.

“Clarett will not participate in preseason football camp until, and unless, all issues related to his eligibility regarding his amateur status have been resolved,� Athletic Director Andy Geiger and Coach Jim Tressel said in a release.

The school’s release included an apology from Clarett in connection with events related to the theft from a car from the Woody Hayes Athletic Facility on April 17, and a statement from Clarett’s attorney, Scott Schiff, saying that the car was borrowed and that Clarett exaggerated the value of some items reported stolen from it.

The NCAA has investigated a police report filed by Clarett that said cash and thousands of dollars of stereo equipment owned by him were stolen from the car he was driving.

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Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against Miami and the Atlantic Coast Conference over expansion.

Miami is leaving the Big East Conference at the start of the 2004-05 academic year, along with Virginia Tech. Big East members Connecticut, Rutgers, West Virginia and Pittsburgh are seeking millions of dollars in damages.

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Big 12 Conference Commissioner Kevin Weiberg will become the bowl championship series coordinator by July 2004, succeeding Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese.

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Hockey

The Pittsburgh Penguins expect Mario Lemieux, who will be 38 in October, to announce at a news conference today that he will play at least one more season, the 16th of his injury- and retirement-interrupted career.

Free-agent forward Ray Whitney, 31, signed a three-year deal worth $9.75 million with the Detroit Red Wings.

Whitney led Columbus last season with 76 points and had 52 assists, including a league-high 34 assists on power plays.

Defenseman Brian Leetch, 35, will be back with the New York Rangers for a 17th season after agreeing to a two-year contract.

Financial terms were not released but Leetch earned $9.68 million last season.

Defenseman Dick Tarnstrom avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $2.5-million, two-year contract with the Penguins.... Defenseman Joe Rollier signed a one-year contract with the Kings. He played last season with Manchester of the American Hockey League.

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Tennis

Andy Roddick survived a scare from Bob Bryan before winning, 7-6 (5), 6-4, in the second round of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic at Washington.

Roddick opened his first service game with a 134-mph ace.

Monica Seles withdrew from next month’s Rogers AT&T; Cup at Toronto because of a left foot injury.

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Jurisprudence

A jury in Minneapolis convicted Jermaine Stansberry of murder in last year’s shooting death of University of Minnesota football player Brandon Hall during a confrontation in the city’s downtown area.

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Miscellany

Coach Fran Papasedero of the Arena Football League’s Orlando Predators had a blood alcohol level of .185 -- twice the legal limit of .08 -- when he was killed in a car crash June 19 at Orlando, Fla., according to a toxicology report.

Katia scored on a header in the 63rd minute to lift San Jose over Carolina, 2-1, in a Women’s United Soccer Assn. game in front of 5,877 at Cary, N.C.

Spanish gymnast Gervasio Deferr was stripped of his silver medal in the floor event from last year’s world championships because he failed a drug test six weeks earlier, the international gymnastics federation said.

The decision means Paul Hamm of the U.S., who had finished fourth, will receive the bronze medal and Jordan Jovtchev of Bulgaria gains the silver medal.