Sports briefs for March 7, 2005

Monday, March 7, 2005 | 10:27 a.m.

Neuheisel will get $4.7 million settlement

Fired football coach Rick Neuheisel will receive $4.7 million in a settlement today of his lawsuit against the NCAA and the University of Washington.

The deal was announced in Kent, Wash., by Judge Michael Spearman just before closing arguments were to begin in the 5-week trial.

Neuheisel's attorneys said he will receive a cash payment of $2.5 million from NCAA, and the university will forgive a $1.5 million loan from the school that Neuheisel earlier had been asked to pay back. The university also will pay him $500,000 in cash and $200,000 in interest.

"I feel wholly vindicated," Neuheisel said outside the courtroom. "Obviously they're going to have their stories, too, but I feel like this is the best scenario. Nobody's nose gets bloodied."

Neuheisel, now the quarterbacks coach of the Baltimore Ravens, had accused the university of wrongfully terminating his contract and the NCAA of encouraging Washington administrators to fire him.

Suszek breaks record

UNLV senior distance runner Michele Suszek broke her own school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Saturday as the Rebels opened their 2005 outdoor track and field season at the Long Beach Relays. A senior from Alpena, Mich., Suszek crushed the school record she set last year by nearly 14 seconds.

Suszek's time Saturday met the NCAA regional qualifying mark.

Halima DeCree led a trio of Rebels sprinters who finished 1-2-3 in the 100 meters, winning the event with a time of 11.39. Brittney Bullocks took second and Tanesha Carr came in third behind DeCree. UNLV also finished third in the 4x400 meter relay.

Maier wins No. 50

Hermann Maier won a super giant slalom on Lillehammer's Olympic course Sunday for his 50th World Cup victory, tying Alberto Tomba for second place on the career list. Austria's Benjamin Raich finished fourth, just ahead of Bode Miller, and drew closer to the American in their race for the overall title. Miller is trying to become the first American since Phil Mahre in 1983 to win the men's overall.

UNLV in a slump

Despite a strong outing from starter Matt Luca, UNLV (3-13) team dropped its third consecutive game, 3-1, on Sunday to Florida Atlantic (9-4) at Earl E. Wilson Stadium, losing 3-1 to Florida Atlantic. Luca gave up three runs, two earned, and struck out five in 7 1/3 innings but saw his record fall to 0-4 as UNLV's offense left 10 runners on base.

Armstrong in 70th

Lance Armstrong was in 70th place after today's first stage of the Paris-Nice race. Tom Boonen of Belgium won the 115-mile stage from Paris to Chabris and finished 41 seconds ahead of Armstrong.