INDIANAPOLIS – Ever so slightly, graduation rates for men’s Division I basketball, baseball and football players are continuing to rise.
The NCAA released figures Wednesday tracking the graduation rates at 318 Division I colleges and universities for athletes who enrolled from 1997-2000.
The overall rate for men and women in all sports remained at 77 percent, but the individual rates for the three poorest-performing groups of athletes — men’s basketball, football and baseball — showed slight improvements for the second consecutive year.
“Overall, the trend data is up, and it’s very heartening,” NCAA president Myles Brand said.
The latest NCAA data, compiled only for athletes on scholarship, showed graduation rates of 71.5 percent for men and 87.3 percent for women.
Howland gets new deal
The deal guarantees compensation of $1.5 million for the upcoming season and increases to $2 million for the final year. Howland earned $1.2 million last season.
Beckham returns to practice
When Beckham went out with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee, it was estimated he would miss at least six weeks, and possibly would be unable to play for the Major League Soccer team again this season. There was no indication when he might return to the lineup.
Los Angeles is 7-13-6 with four games remaining in the regular season and has an outside chance of making the playoffs. Beckham isn’t expected to travel with the team for its game in Houston on Sunday.
Riggs to drive for Haas
Riggs will replace Jeff Green in the No. 66 or Johnny Sauter in the No. 70, the team said.
Radcliffe ready to run
The 33-year-old Brit gave birth to her first child, daughter Isla, on Jan. 17. She hasn’t run a marathon since the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
Pregnant Pikus-Pace skipping skeleton season. Reigning world skeleton champion Noelle Pikus-Pace is expecting her first child and will skip the coming sliding season, then return next year to begin prepping for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The baby — a girl — is due in January, Pikus-Pace said.
“I’m really excited about it,” Pikus-Pace said. “I’m six months along and I can’t wait.”
