Sports briefs for March 24. 2004

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 | 10:44 a.m.

Texas A&M hires UTEP's Gillispie

Billy Gillispie today accepted the coaching job at Texas A&M after taking UTEP from 24 losses to 24 wins and nearly upsetting Maryland in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Gillispie will replace Melvin Watkins, whose team failed to win a game in the Big 12 this season. Overall, he was 60-111 in six seasons. The school last made the NCAA tournament in 1987 and its last winning season was 1994.

UTEP athletic director Bob Stull said Gillispie informed him and his players this morning.

"This is his chance to coach at a higher level," Stull said.

UTEP went 6-24 in the 2002-03 season, but finished 24-8 this season, Gillispie's second in El Paso. The Miners finished second in the Western Athletic Conference, and earned an at-large NCAA berth.

Mayorga loses appeal

New Jersey's state athletic panel rejected an appeal by welterweight Ricardo Mayorga that referee Ton Orlando mistakenly ruled two slips by Cory Spinks in their Dec. 13 bout in Atlantic City, a fight that cost Mayorga his WBA and WBC championship belts on a majority decision.

Lady Rebels on a roll

Cindy Treber and Mery Constantini teamed for a doubles victory and won their singles matches to lift UNLV to a 5-2 victory against vistiing Ohio State. It was the sixth consecutive victory for the 46th-ranked Lady Rebels (10-3).

Nielsen lifts UNLV

Eric Nielsen's bases-loaded triple in the 10th inning vaulted UNLV to a 10-7 victory against Southern Utah at Cedar City. Nielsen had two hits and four RBIs for the Rebels (17-7).

Jets set for stadium

The New York Jets are close to a deal on a $1.4 billion stadium on Manhattan's West Side, the Associated Press reported.

MLS drops overtime

Major League Soccer is dropping overtime for the 2004 regular season, moving in line with the rest of the soccer world.