FACES OF 2008: Sports

LYBERTY ANDERSON

WHY YOU KNOW HER: Anderson, a 12-year-old seventh-grader at Bailey Bridge Middle School, introduced herself to the public by winning the qualifying medal (2-under-par 70) at last summer's Richmond Women's Golf Association city championship tournament at the Country Club of Virginia.

A few weeks past her 12th birthday, she delivered a solid victory in the first round of match play before losing on the 18th hole to Nancy Williams, a cagey former champion, in the quarterfinals.

WHAT'S NEW: Anderson is hardly a one-hit wonder. The zenith of her summer season was an 11th-place finish at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship (12-and-under category) at Pinehurst in August.

Her finish (224 for 54 holes) ensured participation in a one-day event, the U.S. Kids Golf World Cup, at venerable Pinehurst No. 2. There, she shot par while posting a 3-and-2 victory.

Other summer highlights included qualifying for the championship flight at the Virginia State Golf Association women's state amateur at Bayville; participation in the 18-hole local qualifier that preceded the Duramed Futures Classic at Richmond Country Club; and a runner-up finish (she lost in a playoff) in the 14-and-under category at the Scott Robertson Memorial Tournament in Roanoke.

The 2008 season "lifted me up and basically made me think that I can do anything I put my mind to," Anderson said.

BRYAN BOSTIC

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: Bostic, a local businessman, leads the group of investors that wants to bring professional baseball back to Richmond following the relocation of Atlanta's Triple-A franchise from Richmond to Gwinnett County, Ga.

WHAT'S NEW: Before a new franchise can be acquired, Richmond needs to commit to the construction of a ballpark to replace The Diamond.

An economic-development proposal of nearly $800 million is being considered by the city, and that proposal includes plans for a new stadium in Shockoe Bottom.

TYREE EVANS

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: As a senior in 2004 at George Wythe High School, he scored 884 points, more than anyone in state history except Allen Iverson and Moses Malone.

He ended his career as the all-time leading scorer in Group AAA, but he was passed the next season by L.C. Bird guard Tyrese Rice, who now plays at Boston College.

Evans signed with Cincinnati, but legal troubles hamstrung him. He received two year's probation in 2006 after pleading guilty to misdemanor assault and battery. He served two weeks in Richmond City Jail in 2007 for misdeameanor marijuana possession. He also was charged in 2005 with possessing marijuana and a handgun in a vehicle. Prosecutors did not pursue the handgun charge, and Evans received probation for the marijuana charge.

On the court, Evans bounced from a Massachusetts prep school to a Kansas junior college. He spent last season at Motlow State Community College in Tennessee and stayed out of trouble. He signed with Maryland in the spring, but as the school was reviewing his application and criminal history, he withdrew from consideration.

WHAT'S NEW: Evans, who turns 24 on Jan. 18, wound up at Kent State this fall as a non-scholarship walk-on with two years of eligibility remaining. But he didn't become eligible until after the first semester -- yet another obstacle in his path to becoming a Division I player.

He finally debuted Dec. 18 against North Carolina-Greensboro. He came off the bench and scored a game-high 21 points in 24 minutes, hitting 5 of 8 3-pointers.

Kent State plays at Hampton on Jan. 3.

MIKE LONDON

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: In his first season as a head coach on any level, London led the University of Richmond to its first NCAA title. London is a UR grad and former standout defensive back at the school.

The Spiders captured the 2008 Football Championship Subdivision title by beating Montana 24-7 in Chattanooga, Tenn..

WHAT'S NEW: Of 24 starters (including kickers) on the 13-3 championship team, 18 are scheduled to be back next season, when London's Spiders will probably be viewed as the team to beat in the Colonial Athletic Association.

LaSHAWN MERRITT

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: Merritt, from Portsmouth, won gold at the Beijing Olympics in the 400-meter dash and the 1,600 relay.

WHAT'S NEW: After defeating rival Jeremy Wariner in Beijing, Merritt, 22, still has plenty of success ahead of him. He continues to train in Virginia, and runs at U.S. Track and Field events. He cannot compete at the collegiate level because of endorsement contracts he has signed. He's training for the 2009 Track and Field World Championships in Berlin, where he will look to duplicate his success from Beijing. He doesn't plan to try new events in Berlin, though he may become a longer-distance runner at some point in his career. AMIR SADOLLAH Personality with punch WHY

YOU KNOW HIM: Brooklyn-born but Richmond-bred, Sadollah went from being a surgical tech for VCU Health Systems to mixed martial arts national celebrity.

The 28-year-old J.R. Tucker High graduate won the Ultimate Fighter series -- and $100,000 -- on Spike TV.

With no professional experience, Sadollah and about 250 others tried out for the Ultimate Fighter series in Chicago. He was among 32 selected into "The House" after six weeks of rigid training and interviews in Las Vegas. "It was largely based on how well you performed in front of the cameras," he said.

The 5-11, 185-pound Sadollah used a limited background in Sambo and Muay Thai to win four straight bouts and develop a coast-to-coast following.

WHAT'S NEW: Sadollah has since relocated to Las Vegas, where he is training for a Feb. 7 bout on Ultimate Fighting's Fight Night.

ANGELA TINCHER

WHY YOU KNOW HER: As a senior at Virginia Tech last season, she no-hit the U.S. Olympic softball team, breaking its 185-game exhibition winning streak. She led the Hokies to their first appearance in the Women's College World Series.

Tincher was named USA Softball national player of the year and finished her career with 2,149 strikeouts, the third-most in NCAA history at any level. She was a three-time All-American and academic All-American and is the most decorated athlete in school history. This fall, she had her number -- which, fittingly, was No. 1 -- retired.

WHAT'S NEW: After graduating, she played for the Akron Racers in the National Pro Fastpitch league and led the league in strikeouts. She returned to Tech this fall as a volunteer assistant coach and has been working at a pitching academy in Nashville, Tenn.

She planned to attend graduate school at Tech, but then she got an offer to play in the top pro division of the Japan Softball League, which allows two foreign players per team.

She will head to Japan in February, return for National Pro Fastpitch, then go back to Japan for that league's playoffs.