The Rapids have named former winger and England native Steve Guppy to be an assistant coach next season, according to the Rochester Rhinos of the U.S. Soccer Leagues.
The Rapids would not confirm or deny the report when contacted Wednesday, saying only that they have no coaches under contract.
There has been no official word on the status of interim coach Gary Smith, but he and Guppy, 39, are friends and have connections back to England. Smith took over with 10 games remaining and got the Rapids within a victory of reaching the postseason.
According to a release on Rochester’s official website, Guppy left the club Wednesday but won’t join the Rapids full-time until January.
“While I am excited for this new opportunity, I would like to thank the Rhinos and their fans for making me feel so welcome,” Guppy said in a statement on the website.
Brian Forbes, Special to The Denver Post
CSU basketball players suspended.
Three Colorado State women’s basketball players will sit out several games after the NCAA penalized them for playing on overseas club teams that had professional players.
None are accused of earning money, but they have to sit out the regular-season games to maintain their amateur status. First-year coach Kristen Holt says the penalties were expected.
Devran Tanacan, a 6-foot-4 junior center from Turkey, will miss the season opener Nov. 15 against Wichita State, while Chatilla van Grinsven, a 6-2 freshman forward from the Netherlands, will sit out four games.
Natalie van den Adel, a 6-1 freshman guard from the Netherlands, will sit out 27 games and won’t be eligible to compete until Feb. 28 at New Mexico, the Rams’ second-to-last regular-season game.
CU, DU soccer advance.
The University of Colorado women’s soccer team advanced to the Big 12 Conference Tournament semifinals with a victory Wednesday. Meanwhile, the University of Denver team advanced at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
CU, ranked No. 16, got six saves from goalkeeper Kirstin Radlinski in a 1-0 win over Nebraska (10-9-1) in San Antonio. The Buffs (14-3-3) got the game-winner in the 49th minute when senior forward Gianna DeSaverio carried the ball down the right side of the Nebraska goal box, crossed the ball toward the middle and found senior defender Michelle Wenino. Wenino headed the ball off the keeper’s hand and into the net. The Buffs will face top-seeded Oklahoma State, which defeated Texas Tech 3-0 on Friday afternoon.
DU (17-2-2) came from behind to beat Arkansas-Little Rock 2-1 in Denton, Texas. UALR (8-11-2) scored first, then Pioneers junior forward Mariah Johnston got the equalizer in the 24th minute off a pass from Lizzy Carlson. Freshman midfielder Bria Beardsley scored the game-winner five minutes into the second half, ripping a shot from 30 yards. DU, the No. 1 seed, will play Florida Atlantic today.
Mines, Fort Lewis win.
Liz Oba’s fifth goal of the season gave Colorado Mines (12-4-3) a 2-1 overtime win over Mesa State in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament, and Fort Lewis won its first- round match, defeating Colorado State-Pueblo 1-0.
Oba scored the game-winner three minutes into the extra session off a pass from Kayla Mitchell. The Orediggers’ defense held Mesa to six shots in the match and none in the second half or overtime. Mines, the No. 3 seed, plays No. 2 Regis at Auraria Field on Friday afternoon.
Playing in a winter storm in Durango, Fort Lewis made an early goal by Jaime MacArthur stand up and will face top-seeded Metro State on Friday at Auraria Field.
• Before the tournament, RMAC coaches doled out regular-season honors with Metro’s Nicole Cito winning player of the year and defensive player of the year awards. She is the first player to claim both since the league began the defensive honor in 2004.
Jordan Miller of Regis won freshman of the year, and her coach, J.B. Belzer, won his third coach of the year award.
The men’s coaches selected Kellen Johnson of Metro as player of the year, Fort Lewis goalkeeper Zane Wells as defensive player and Robert Kinsey of CSU-Pueblo as freshman of the year. Tim Hankinson of Fort Lewis and Roy Stanley of CSU-Pueblo were named co-coaches of the year.
CU volleyball loses to KU.
The Colorado volleyball lost another Big 12 road match, 3-0 (25-13, 30-28, 25-17) to Kansas (11-12, 5-9 Big 12). CU is 1-6 on the road in the conference, 5-1 at home.
Lauren Schaefer had nine kills and three blocks for CU (12-10, 6-7).
