Sports briefs for February 24, 2004

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004 | 11:18 a.m.

Players await decision in BYU honor-code case

The case of several Brigham Young football players accused of violating the Mormon school's strict honor code at a party where sex and alcohol were involved could be resolved as soon as next week. The players were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by police in Provo, Utah, but alcohol and premarital or extramarital sex are in violation of the honor code.

"We do not want students to come to BYU and be surprised," said university spokesperson Carri Jenkins. "We want them to know right from the beginning this is what BYU is about."

The school is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the student body in the fall was 98 percent Mormon. All students are required to live by a strict moral code.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that four players had been kicked off the team. The Deseret Morning News said at least five would be disciplined.

The university began investigating after a woman claimed to have been raped by several football players at a party. She later told police the sex was consensual.

Rebels pitcher named

UNLV senior left-hander Jake Vose was named Mountain West Conference pitcher of the week after pitching seven scoreless innings Saturday in beating UNR. Vose leads the Rebels with a 2.84 earned run average.

Bearcats center quits

Center Robert Whaley quit the University of Cincinnati team, citing personal reasons.

Francis moves up

Carolina captain Ron Francis scored his 545th goal, passing Maurice Richard for 20th place on the NHL's all-time goal-scoring list, in the Hurricanes' 2-1 victory against Toronto.

UNLV in fifth place

The UNLV women were 21 shots off the pace and in fifth place after the first round of the 14-team Wildcat Invitational at Tucson, Ariz.