Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Sports briefs for April 29, 2005

Bill to protect refs takes another step

Disappointed parents and bitter players who go after sports officials may face stiffer penalties under a bill that passed unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

AB474, which already has won Assembly approval, seeks to protect sports officials from unruly parents and players who may try to hurt them because of an alleged unfair call or lost game.

"I think your intent is to give these folks protection from these sorts of things as a result of their duties," said Senate Judiciary Chairman Mark Amodei, R-Carson City.

The bill would make unarmed assault against a referee, umpire, judge, timekeeper or inspector a gross misdemeanor -- rather than a misdemeanor -- punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. The stiffer penalty already applies to crimes against police officers, school employees, health care workers, taxicab and bus drivers.

Rebels beat Utes

The 55th-ranked UNLV men's tennis team got by No. 75 Utah 4-1 Thursday in a rain-delayed first round matchup at the Mountain West Conference Championship at the Barnes Tennis Center on the campus of San Diego State.

UNLV (16-7) has now have posted its most victories since 1997.

In singles play Henner Nehles, named 2005 MWC Player of the Year one day earlier, cruised past Tomasz Grzyb at the top spot 6-1, 7-5 to improve to 27-6 overall, 16-5 in dual matches and 50-20 for his career.

The Rebels play 41st-ranked host San Diego State next. The top-seeded Aztecs (15-5, 5-0) did not lose a MWC match in the regular season.

After winning both of the completed doubles matches for one team point, 28th-ranked Elena Gantcheva quickly improved to 30-5 overall with a 6-2, 6-1 win against Dasha Zhurin at the top spot. The MWC Freshman of the Year is now tied for eighth with Diana Chavez (1990) on UNLV's single-season victories list.

UNLV was scheduled to face No. 2 New Mexico this morning.

UNLV in fourth after one round

The UNLV men's golf team shot an opening-round 6-over-par 294 at the MWC Championship at Sunriver, Ore., and sits in fourth place, nine shots back of team-leader New Mexico, which was the only team under par (3-under 285).

UNLV's Andres Gonzales and Ryan Keeney each shot 1-over 73 and are tied for 11th place to lead UNLV.

Union takes measures to protect itself

The National Hockey League's brief tone of harmony toward the locked-out players changed Thursday, when the union announced that it had filed for union certification in Quebec and in British Columbia to prevent replacement players from working in Montreal and Vancouver.

Bill Daly, the league's executive vice president, criticized the union, calling its petitions "inappropriate and in violation of its obligations" in the United States and Canada.

"Obviously, we will take appropriate steps to preserve and protect our rights," he said. "Ultimately, these filings will have no impact on the league's business alternatives going forward."

Extra game added

Make it an even dozen college football games.

Looking to help financially strapped athletic programs make ends meet, the NCAA board of directors approved three measures, including one that adds an extra football game to the schedule beginning in 2006.

The other measures -- counting another game toward bowl eligibility and loosening requirements for teams to qualify for Division I-A -- are effective this fall.

Sun wire services

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