Mystics deal ex-Terp Coleman to Sparks
The Washington Mystics acquired guard-forward Noelle Quinn from the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, general manager and coach Trudi Lacey announced, in exchange for guard-forward Marissa Coleman, a former Maryland star. The 6-foot Quinn has played five seasons in the WNBA, including the past three with Los Angeles. After a distinguished college career at UCLA, Quinn was the fourth overall selection in the 2007 draft by Minnesota, where she spent her first two seasons. Last season Quinn led the WNBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7) and averaged 5.1 points, two assists and 1.8 rebounds in nearly 21 minutes per game. She played in 33 of 34 games and started 23. "We are excited to have Noelle join the Mystics as we look toward the upcoming 2012 season," Lacey said in a statement. "She is an experienced combo guard that brings a high basketball IQ and plays multiple positions." Quinn helped the Sparks advance to the playoffs in 2009 and 2010, when she had career highs in points (10.2), rebounds (4), starts (34) and minutes per game (32.5). Quinn is averaging 6.1 points, three rebounds and 2.8 assists over her WNBA career. "D.C. is such a historical city with fans who both love basketball and are very supportive," Quinn said. "I will bring a positive attitude, great work ethic and experience to the team. I am so grateful for this opportunity and in doing so am willing to do whatever it takes to ensure our success." Coleman, meantime, goes back to the West Coast, where she was born. She relocated to Cheltenham and attended St.John's High and Maryland. As a freshman at Maryland, Coleman was a major contributor to the Terrapins' national championship team in 2005-06. Chosen second overall by the Mystics in the 2009 draft, Coleman gets another opportunity to play alongside former Maryland teammate Kristi Toliver, who has been with the Sparks for the past two seasons. "Being able to play with Kristi again is exciting," Coleman said. "She and I accomplished some really great things together at Maryland, and we play really well together." Coleman is averaging 7.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in her WNBA career, and in 2010, she helped the Mystics win the Eastern Conference title. Last season Coleman set personal single-game highs with 21 points and 12 rebounds, starting 28 games and finishing 11th in three-pointers made (51).
—Gene Wang, The Washington Post
Men's pro basketball: Adrian Bowie (Maryland) of the Bay Area Shuckers earned Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League Player of the Week honors for his 43-point performance in the Shuckers 149-148 overtime win over the Beltway Bombers on Saturday.
Men's college basketball
Ex-UM coach Williams to be honored at Dick Vitale Gala
The V Foundation for Cancer Research announced that the seventh annual Dick Vitale Gala will be held May 18 at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Fla., and will honor former Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams, Hall of Fame college football coach Lou Holtz and Villanova men's basketball coach Jay Wright. Net proceeds for the event, hosted by ESPN sportscaster Dick Vitale, will help fund pediatric cancer research. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to jimmyv.org/vitale or contact Mary Kenealy at 941-350-0580 or dickvitalegala@jimmyv.org.
Md. Jockey Club to celebrate Rapid Redux on Feb. 18
The Maryland Jockey Club will honor Rapid Redux on Feb. 18 with a celebration that will include a poster giveaway, a winner's circle presentation and an autograph session with owner Robert Cole Jr., trainer David Wells and primary jockey J.D.Acosta (depending on mounts). Rapid Redux has won 22 consecutive races, including going 19-for-19 a year ago, and took home a pair of national awards last month. Cole, a Towson native, claimed the son of Pleasantly Perfect at Penn National for $6,250 on Oct. 13, 2010. In his next 24 races, Rapid Redux won 23 times with earnings of $266,074. The winning streak began Dec. 2, 2010, at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pa. During the streak, Rapid Redux won races at seven different tracks at distances from five furlongs to 11/8 miles using seven riders.
More Laurel Park: Toby's Corner, who is trained by Graham Motion and was last year's Kentucky Derby favorite until he came up with a limp just before he was to ship to Louisville, Ky., is being pointed toward the Grade II General George Handicap at Laurel Park on Feb. 20. "He worked [Wednesday] morning and is doing well," Motion said. "He could run in the General George. It's what I have in mind for him." It would be Toby's Corner's first race since winning the Wood Memorial in April.
Et cetera
Kensington's Bonhurst holds on to win stroke-play title
Joy Bonhurst of Kensington won the PGA Women's Stroke Play Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla., despite bogeying the 18th hole three times in the last half-hour of the tournament Wednesday. Bonhurst outlasted Carla Wasienko of Rockville after they tied at 225 on the Wanamaker Course at the PGA Golf Club. They had tied at 76 the first day, and Wasienko led by one, 148 to 149, heading into the final round. Two down after 11 holes, Bonhurst birdied the par-5 13th and 16th holes, and was ahead because Wasienko bogeyed the 14th. Bonhurst then hit her drive into the water at 18 but salvaged bogey to force the playoff. Playing 18 again, both finished with two-putt bogeys, then Wasienko drove into the water at 18 on the second playoff hole en route to a double bogey; Bonhurst won with a three-putt bogey, riming out her par putt from six feet. "I didn't make a lot of birdies today but it still feels great to win," Bonhurst said. "Carla outdrove me by 50 yards on some holes but it was neck-and-neck most of the day, very exciting." In 18 holes, Bonhurst had two birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey. Wasienko, making her first start in the event, called the outcome "a big-time disappointment." She had one birdie, four bogeys and a double in regulation. Bonhurst received $1,750, and Wasienko $1,450.
More golf: Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, birdied all four par-5 holes to maintain a three-stroke lead over Danny Balin of Rockville through three rounds in the Men's PGA Stroke Play Championship at the PGA Golf Club. Sowards made six birdies and two bogeys on the Wanamaker Course for 68-206 with par-5 birdies at Nos. 1, 7, 13 and 16. Balin three-putted the 18th green for his only bogey of the day, scoring three birdies and 70-209.
Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum: The Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation announced that the museum will offer fans free admission Sunday and Monday in celebration of the 117th anniversary of Ruth's birth in Baltimore on Feb. 6, 1895. Also, Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards will show footage Saturday and Sunday of the Colts' victories in the 1958 and 1959 NFL championship games as well as the Colts' win in Super Bowl V in 1971 and the Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV victory in 2001.
Women's college swimming: Johns Hopkins sophomore Taylor Kitayama was named the CollegeSwimming.com Counsilman-Hunssaker National Swimmer of the Week for Division III. It is the second time this season and the third time in her career that she has earned the honor.
—From Sun staff and news services
Nationals: Baseball America named Washington's farm system the best in all of baseball in its annual Prospect Handbook. The recognition came five years after the Nationals' system ranked 30th — dead last.
—Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post