Spurrier, SC leaders to meet with NCAA

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Steve Spurrier and University of South Carolina officials will appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions in Los Angeles on Friday.

The NCAA says the school received $55,000 in improper benefits for athletes — mostly football players — who stayed at a hotel for a reduced rate and for South Carolina’s involvement with a mentoring group in Delaware.

Spurrier, university President Harris Pastides and athletic director Eric Hyman are part of the 11-person contingent traveling for the meeting.

South Carolina agreed in its response to the NCAA in December that major rules violations did take place.

Spurrier bluntly summed up how he feels about the hearing when he said earlier this month, “Sometimes crap happens. You just have to deal with it.”

 

OVC creating cage divisions for 2012-13

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (AP) — The Ohio Valley Conference will split into divisions for men’s and women’s basketball for the 2012-13 season.

The OVC announced the decision Thursday. The conference has not determined how it will determine tournament seeding and bracketing but says the league’s athletic directors will make a decision on the matter soon.

Belmont will become the OVC’s 12 member on July 1, making the conference the largest it’s ever been since it was formed in 1948.

Belmont will join Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Morehead State, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech to form the conference’s East Division.

The West Division will include Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Murray State, Southeast Missouri State, SIU-Edwardsville and Tennessee-Martin.

 

Florida frosh arrested on domestic battery

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say Florida freshman tight end A.C. Leonard was arrested on a simple domestic battery charge.

Gainesville police say 20-year-old Leonard got into an argument with his girlfriend Wednesday night.

According to a police report, Leonard shoved the woman, causing her to fall to the ground and hit her head on a dog cage. She told police Leonard told her to take her belongings and leave the apartment they shared.

“This behavior will not will be tolerated and A.C. has been suspended from team activities at this time,” Gators coach Will Muschamp said in statement Thursday. “I certainly don’t condone this type of behavior – it is not what we expect from the University of Florida football program.”

Leonard’s arrest is the 10th during Muschamp’s 14-month tenure.

The arrest report indicates that Leonard grabbed the woman by both feet and pulled her out of the apartment when she refused to leave.

Police say the woman had a large abrasion on her left forearm and a smaller one on her right elbow.

Leonard was released on his own recognizance Thursday by Alachua County Judge Tom Jaworski.