Graduation rates
Maryland raises mark to 80%; Navy among top schools
Maryland athletics increased its latest graduation success rate to a school-record 80 percent, the university said Wednesday. The information released by the NCAA and individual schools covers the four entering freshman classes from 2000 through 2003. Maryland football improved to 64 percent from 60 percent a year ago. Men's basketball was still below 50 percent — it was 31 percent this year. But the team was up from 8 percent a year ago and should show further improvement in future reports because 12 of the last 14 seniors have graduated, according to the school. The Graduation Success Rate counts incoming transfer students and midyear enrollees. It does not penalize schools for transfers who leave in good standing. The overall rate for Division I athletes was 79 percent, according to the NCAA. For the sixth year in a row, Navy was one of the top schools in the country for graduating NCAA athletes. Navy graduated 100 percent of its student-athletes in 10 of the 20 NCAA sports reported on and averaged 96 percent for athletes in all sports. Navy's overall graduation success rate of 96 percent was tied for fourth among all schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision and was the best among the three service academies.
More Colleges
Terps, Deacons to be scouted this week for Chick-fil-A Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl representative Kurt Patberg will visit Byrd Stadium on Saturday to scout the Wake Forest-Maryland game, bowl officials said. The two teams are being scouted as potential representatives in the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31. The Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference team selections for the 43rd edition of the bowl will be announced Dec. 5.
Field hockey: Top-ranked Maryland (16-1, 5-0 ACC) will host No. 10 Louisville (13-5, 5-1 Big East) Saturday at noon. Prior to the game, the Terrapins will honor their three seniors: Amanda Himmelheber, Alicia Morawski and Katie O'Donnell. Because of the Maryland football game at 3:30 that afternoon, fans will be charged $15 to park and are asked to park in lot 4i, next to the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. Admission is free.
Men's soccer: No. 2 seed CCBC-Essex (12-5-2) defeated No. 3 Hagerstown Community College, 3-2, in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XX Division I tournament semifinals at Harford Community College when freshman James Tarr scored in the 97th minute. With the victory, the Knights advance to the Region XX championship game vs. No. 1 College of Southern Maryland, scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Harford CC.
Women's soccer: Maryland forward Sade Ayinde was named National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Player of the Week after scoring twice to give the No. 5 Terps their first-ever win over North Carolina. … UMBC freshman goalkeeper Lauren Kadet and forward Amy Savage were named to the America East All-Rookie Team, the conference announced Wednesday. Kadet leads the America East with 6.75 saves per game and ranks fourth with an .806 save percentage. Her 108 saves in 2010 rank as the fifth-highest single-season total in school history. Savage tied for the team lead with six points on two goals and two assists, and ranked second on the team with 26 shots.
Men's golf: Hood senior Evan Chaney (Brunswick) was selected as the last Capital Athletic Conference Golfer of the Week for the fall season after setting the school record with a four-over-par 76 at the Messiah Fall Classic on Oct. 19.
Cross country: First-year runner Dan Jacobs of Hood was named the CAC Cross Country Athlete of the Week.
Swimming and diving: Navy was selected to repeat as Patriot League champions for both men and women in the league's preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors. Navy claimed a maximum 98 points and 14 first-place votes in both the men and women's polls. The Mids also picked up three weekly awards: junior Mac Anthony was named the Male Swimmer of the Week, sophomore Laura Gorinski was the Female Swimmer of the Week and senior Olaf Olson was honored as the Male Diver of the Week.
Baltimore's Hohlbein rides Dixie Thief to 1st career win
Baltimore native Kerry Hohlbein scored her first lifetime win when Dixie Thief galloped to victory over the sloppy going in the second race at Laurel Park. It appeared the stars were going to be in alignment for Hohlbein when she finished second in the opener aboard longshot Buckle Down Darlin. Then in the second race, the 25-year-old graduate of Lansdowne High School settled in comfortably behind a gaggle of runners, steered Dixie Thief wide into the lane and caught post-time favorite Calvin B in deep stretch to win by a length and a half. "Somebody brought me to the racetrack a long time ago," said Hohlbein, speaking about her introduction to horse racing. "The girls, like Rosie [Napravnik] and Forest [Boyce], they're the ones that have inspired me. I work for trainer Dale Capuano now, and my goal is to win big." Dixie Thief, who beat $5,000 claimers, was winning for the second time for trainer Bev Heckrotte. The son of Cat Thief paid $14.40.
capitals
Neuvirth quiets Hurricanes, 3-0, for first NHL shutout
Michal Neuvirth stopped 29 shots for his first NHL shutout, and the Washington Capitals beat Carolina, 3-0, to spoil the Hurricanes' first game on home ice. Nicklas Backstrom scored two goals, one into an empty net, and Matt Hendricks also scored for the Capitals. They began a three-game road swing by winning their second straight.
—From Sun staff and news services