Colleges
Roscoe Smith, ex-Walbrook standout, commits to UConn
Former Walbrook forward Roscoe Smith will play his college basketball in the Big East. The 6-foot-8 senior, who attends Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., committed to Connecticut on Friday. He selected the Huskies over Duke and Georgetown. "He has had a great feeling about UConn all along," said Kelvin Bridgers, Smith's former coach at Walbrook. "You're talking about a top university where you can pick and choose academic programs of a high caliber. You're talking about gentlemen who played the wing [at UConn], guys like Rudy Gay, Rip Hamilton, Caron Butler, Ben Gordon, Ray Allen. Just those names alone give you an idea about the ability of [Huskies coach] Jim Calhoun to develop players at Roscoe's prototype and position." A two-time Baltimore Sun All-Metro selection, Smith averaged 21.4 points and 11 rebounds as a junior. He led the Warriors to a 22-4 record and the Class 4A state semifinals last season. "Roscoe can just flat-out shoot the cover off the ball," Bridgers said. "In the pro-style offense [UConn] runs, they like a big wing player who can stroke the basketball and get to the rim. He's a guy that can score from anywhere on the floor ... and he can match up with big guys with his arm reach of a 7-footer. So he can post you up, he can shoot the 3 and he can get to the rim." Smith is the second Baltimore native to join UConn's 2010 recruiting class. Former Lake Clifton power forward Cleveland Melvin, who is currently doing a post-grad year at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., committed to the Huskies in November.
- Matt Bracken
More men's basketball: : Beginning Jan. 25, WBAL 1090 AM Radio will air the "Pat Kennedy College Basketball Show" from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Monday night through the end of March. Kennedy's show will cover all subjects related to college basketball, and the coach will take questions from callers throughout. This Monday (8 p.m. to 9 p.m.), WBAL will feature a special preview show hosted by The Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck. Kennedy's show will not air Feb. 15, when the coach leads his team in a CAA game at Old Dominion.
Field hockey: : Salisbury coach Dawn Chamberlin was named the 2009 Dita/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III National Coach of the Year on Friday. It is the third time she has won the award (2004 and 2005). Chamberlin had been selected as the South Region Coach of the Year - for the eighth time in her 23-year career - Dec. 7, two weeks after she led the Sea Gulls to their fourth national championship under her guidance and the fifth in program history. Chamberlin coached Salisbury to national championships in 2003-2005. She also was recognized as the Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for 2009, the 11th time she has been honored. Chamberlin has a career record of 356-90-8 - the fifth-most victories in Division III history - and has led the Sea Gulls to 15 straight CAC championships.
Women's soccer: : Rachel Lamarre, a transfer from Penn State, will play for Maryland in 2010, coach Brian Pensky announced. Lamarre will have three years of eligibility with the Terps after spending her freshman season with the Nittany Lions. Lamarre, a native of Laval, Quebec, played in 16 games (two starts) for Penn State and recorded one assist. "Rachel will add to our current list of extremely talented players," Pensky said. "The future of this program is quite bright, and we are very pleased to have Rachel be a part of that future success. She is going to do well here."
Men's golf: : Former Towson golfers Jeff Castle and Billy Wingerd were chosen as members of the Colonial Athletic Association's Silver Anniversary team. The team, part of a 25th anniversary celebration of 21 CAA championship sports, was selected by a panel of current and former conference coaches.
- From Sun staff and news services