Sports briefs for January 2, 2004

Friday, Jan. 2, 2004 | 10:41 a.m.

Division I recruit killed in van crash

A van carrying members of the Our Savior New American School boys' basketball team from Centereach, N.Y., flipped on a North Carolina highway late Wednesday, leaving one student dead and injuried eight others.

"I looked like a war zone," Salisbury, N.C., fire chief Rusty Alexander said Thursday.

The accident occurred on Highway 150 just outside of Salisbury, about 30 miles north of Charlotte, N.C.

The fatality in the crash was Kevin Mormin, 18, a 7-foot-3 junior center from Paris, France, who was being recruited by Division I program include Pittsburgh and Louisville.

The van's driver, Emily Stelzer, 22, an English teacher at Our Savior and a daughter of the coach, the Rev. Ronald Setzer, was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and driving to the left of center.

She posted a $1,000 unsecured bond and is scheduled to appear in Salisbury District Court on Feb. 24.

The team was headed to Charlotte where it was scheduled to play in the Dell Curry High School Basketball Shootout.

This was not an unusual trip for the Our Savior team, which is viewed as one of the best basketball programs in the Northeast and attracts players worldwide, with scouts from the NBA and colleges often attending its games.

Winslow won't be back

All-American tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said he will forgo his senior season at Miami to enter the NFL draft.

IAAF adds records

Paula Radcliffe, the British marathon world record holder, was credited with bests at two other distances after the sport's ruling body officially recognized road running and race walking performances. Radcliffe, 30, who improved her world best at the London marathon in April, now also has records at 10 kilometers and 20 kilometers, the International Association of Athletic Federations said. Previously, official records were only given to runners at track meetings. As a result of the IAAF changes, Poland's Robert Korzeniowski became the inaugural world record holder for the men's 50-kilometer race walk.

Arsenal poised

Arsenal will try to become the first club in 118 years to win the English F.A. Cup three consecutive years when it travels to Leeds United on Sunday.

Capitals lose center

Washington Capitals center Dainius Zubrus will be out 2-4 weeks because of a broken bone in his right foot. He was hit in the foot by a slap shot in Wednesday's 7-1 loss at Buffalo.