U.S. forward in serious condition after wreck

SOCCER

U.S. forward in serious condition

ARLINGTON - U.S. national team forward Charlie Davies was in serious condition last night following a one-vehicle crash in which another person was killed.

Davies, who officials said was a passenger, underwent several hours of surgery at Washington Hospital Center Medstar. Hospital spokeswoman So Young Pak said Davies' condition was serious but offered no further details.

U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman Neil Buethe earlier said that Davies' injuries were not life-threatening.

U.S. Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser said the wreck took place at about 3:15 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Virginia. Schlosser identified the fatality as Ashley J. Roberta, 22, of Phoenix, Md.

The U.S. team is in Washington area for tonight's World Cup qualifying game against Costa Rica.

GYMNASTICS

Virginian third in qualifying

LONDON - That an American was close behind Olympic silver medalist Kohei Uchimura wasn't much of a surprise. That it was Tim McNeill of Falls Church, not Jonathan Horton, well, few saw that coming.

McNeill made an impressive debut at his first major international competition, finishing third in qualifying at the world gymnastics championships and setting the tone for the up-and-coming Americans. Horton, a double medalist at last summer's Beijing Olympics, was fifth after a fall on the pommel horse.

Uchimura, from Japan, lived up to his favored status, his qualifying score of 90.925 more than 1½ points better than Maxim Deviatovski of Russia. McNeill (88.775), Britain's Daniel Keatings (88.4) and Horton (88) were all within a point of each other. Scoring starts from scratch in tomorrow's all-around final.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Alabama challenges NCAA penalty

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama contends the NCAA wrongly forced the football program to vacate 21 victories from 2005-07, describing it as an "unprecedented penalty" in cases involving abuse of free textbooks. The university, in a 14-page rebuttal, spelled out several reasons why the wins should be restored, including the NCAA committee on infraction's improper citing of Alabama's repeat offender status. The university said no other textbook case led to wins being vacated and that the committee's brief failed to mention even one textbook case to use for comparison.

• A Florida appellate court again has rebuffed the NCAA's effort to prevent public disclosure of documents on academic cheating at Florida State. The documents, with students' names blacked out, could be released as early as today.

• Iowa wide receiver/kick returner Paul Chaney Jr. will miss the rest of the season after injuring an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. Chaney suffered the injury during the 11th-ranked Hawkeyes' 30-28 win over Michigan on Saturday.

• New Mexico coach Mike Locksley won't be on the sidelines when his team plays UNLV later this month, part of a 10-day suspension for his role in a fight with an assistant coach.

SPORTSWOMEN OF THE YEAR

Kupets, Vetter honored

NEW YORK - Gymnast Courtney Kupets and hockey player Jessie Vetter are the Women's Sports Foundation's sportswomen of the year. Kupets won for individual sports. After missing the 2008 postseason with an Achilles' injury, she returned to lead Georgia to its fifth straight NCAA title. Vetter won for team sports. The goalie had 39 saves as the United States won its second straight women's World Hockey Championship title, beating Canada 4-1.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Concussion effects hamper Miller

ATLANTA - Georgia Tech point guard Moe Miller continues to suffer the effects of a concussion he suffered in a car wreck last month and may not be cleared to join the start of practice this week. It is Miller's third concussion in less than a year.

• Former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie and the school settled their cases over his firing for nearly $3 million. Gillispie was dismissed earlier this year and sued for breach of contract and fraud in May, seeking at least $6 million. The university countersued.

• Purdue guard Lewis Jackson was suspended for two exhibition games and the season opener for violating team and NCAA rules.

NBA

Wizards' Arenas fined $25,000

NEW YORK - The NBA fined Washington guard Gilbert Arenas $25,000 for not making himself available to the media. The league also penalized the Wizards' organization $25,000 for failing to ensure that its players are following NBA media interview rules.

Returning from a series of knee injuries that have limited him to 15 games in the past two seasons, Arenas has refused to talk to the press during the preseason.

ELSEWHERE

• NASCAR suspended a Nationwide Series crew member for violating its toughened substance-abuse policy. Robert Good, a crew member for the No. 26 Dodge team owned by Dusty Whitney, was suspended indefinitely. He committed the violation on Oct. 9.

• Andy Roddick was forced to retire with left knee pain while leading Stanislas Wawrinka 4-3 in the second round of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament.

This is usually Hermann Maier's time of year - a ski season about to begin and an Olympics just months off. The Austrian star fought back tears in saying those plans have changed. He retired at age 36 and ended one of the most outstanding careers in Alpine skiing. His nearly 14-year career included two Olympic gold medals, three world titles, four overall World Cup crowns and 54 World Cup victories. - From Wire Reports