Herd WR Booker

has name change

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Marshall football player Andre Booker has undergone a name change in a tribute to his grandfather.

Earlier this month before the start of preseason camp, he returned to his Sarasota, Fla., home to legally change his name to Andre Snipes-Booker.

His grandfather, Lee Otis Snipes, has been one of the primary male figures in the player’s life since birth.

The Charleston Daily Mail reports that the paperwork process started a year ago.

Snipes-Booker says whenever he returns home, his grandfather always checks on him to ensure he’s making the right decisions.

 

Chiefs’ LB Hali

suspended by NFL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The NFL has suspended Pro Bowl linebacker Tamba Hali of the Kansas City Chiefs for the season-opener against Atlanta for violating its policy on substance abuse.

The league announced the suspension in a brief statement Monday without disclosing details.

Hali will miss the Sept. 9 game against the Falcons and be fined an additional game check. He will be eligible to return the following day and he is still allowed to participate in preseason practices and games. The Chiefs play the Seattle Seahawks on Friday night.

 

No drugs, alcohol

found in Seau

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Junior Seau had no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system when he shot himself in the chest at his home in May.

The San Diego County medical examiner’s office on Monday released the full autopsy results for the 43-year-old former NFL linebacker, saying he used a .357-caliber unregistered revolver to kill himself.

The 16-page report said Seau did have Zolpidem, used to treat insomnia, and traces of Naproxen, a common drug used to relieve pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis, in his system when he died.

The autopsy said Seau’s brain didn’t appear to have any trauma. His family has donated some of his brain tissue for research.

Seau died May 2. The report said no suicide note was found.

 

WVIAC schools form

new conferences

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Twelve colleges in West Virginia, Ohio and Virginia are forming an all-sports athletic conference in NCAA Division II.

The presidents of the schools announced the formation of the Mountain East Conference on Monday. Competition will begin in fall 2013.

Nine of the schools are currently members of the West Virginia Conference: Concord, Fairmont State, Glenville State, Shepherd, the University of Charleston, West Liberty, West Virginia State, Wheeling Jesuit and West Virginia Wesleyan.

The members from Ohio are Notre Dame College and Urbana. The other member is Virginia-Wise.

UVa-Wise has been accepted into the NCAA membership process and will compete in Division II in 2013 while pursuing full membership.

On Sunday night, Alderson-Broaddus College announced it is leaving the WVIAC to join the new Great Midwest Athletic Conference next year.