*** The latest news from the USOC - October 19 ***

(Courtesy of United States Olympic Committee)

Salt Lake City, UT (My Sportsbook) - The following is a recap of events from the United States Olympic Committee.

Baseball: (Oct. 12) USA Baseball named Davey Johnson as field manager for the minor-league professional team that will represent the United States at the 2005 CONCEBE North American Regional Olympic Qualifying Tournament Nov. 15-19 in Phoenix, Ariz. Rick Eckstein will serve as bench coach, Marcel Lachemann as pitching coach and Mike Barnett as hitting coach. For more information, log on to www.usabaseball.com.

Bobsled: (Oct. 15) The team of 2002 Olympic 4-man silver medalist Todd Hays (Del Rio, Texas) and Pavle Jovanovic (Tom's River, N.J.) claimed the victory on the first day of the 2006 Verizon 2-man Bobsled National Team Trials in a time of 1:58.18. (Oct. 18) 2002 Olympian Jean Prahm (Waterford, Mich.) and 2002 Olympic gold medalist Vonetta Flowers (Birmingham, Ala.) slid to victory in 1:00.75 for the second straight day at the 2006 Verizon Women's Bobsled National Team Trials and were named national champions for the second consecutive year. For more information, log on to www.usbsf.com.

Bowling: (Oct. 17) The Bowling Proprietor's Association of America Foundation will donate more than $110,000 to the American Red Cross Louisiana Capital Area Chapter in a ceremony Oct. 21 at Circle Bowl in Baton Rouge, La. (Oct. 18) The United States Bowling Congress Storm Mixed Team Challenge will feature 14 events across the country from January-May 2006 and will offer four-player handicap team competition for bowlers of all abilities. For more information, log on to www.bowl.com.

Boxing: (Oct. 18) Heavyweight Isiah Thomas (Detroit, Mich.) won the title at the 2005 Cadet World Championships in Liverpool, England. Light flyweight Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas) and middleweight Dominic Wade (Clinton, Md.) each won a silver medal. Winning bronze medals were featherweight Jerry Belmontes (Corpus Christi, Texas) and light welterweight Raymond Serrano (Philadelphia, Pa.). For more information, log on to www.usaboxing.org.

Curling: (Oct. 17) The Debbie McCormick rink defeated Canada's Sherry Middaugh team, 10-7, to capture the 2005 Southwestern Ontario Charity Cashspiel title in London, Ontario, Canada. For more information, log on to www.usacurl.org.

Cycling: (Oct. 17) The Union Cycliste Internationale appointed five new U.S. representatives to various commissions. Gerard Bisceglia, USA Cycling chief executive officer, was appointed to the three-person Solidarity Commission; Sean Petty, USA Cycling chief of staff, to the seven-member Road Commission; Alison Dunlap, 2001 World Mountain Bike Champion and two-time Olympian, as rider representative to the four-member Mountain Bike Commission; Adam Hodges- Myerson to the Cyclo-cross Commission; and Gary Ream to the BMX Commission. For more information, log on to www.usacycling.org.

Equestrian: (Oct. 14) Karen Kroon (Cheyenne, Wyo.) won the 2005 FEI North American Endurance Championship CEIO at the 17th Annual Fair Hill International Festival in the Country. She finished the 100-mile ride in a time of 11:45:30. The USA Pacific South Team of Nicole Chappell Wiere (Elk Grove, Calif.), Barry Waitte (Los Gatos, Calif.), Carolyn Hock (Riverside, Calif.) and Heather Reynolds (Los Gatos, Calif.) won the team gold. (Oct. 15) Lauren Hough (Wellington, Fla.) placed eighth at the Las Vegas World Invitational. (Oct. 15) Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard (Chatsworth, Ga.) rode to victory in the U.S. Equestrian Federation Three-Star Eventing Championship at the 17th Annual Fair Hill International Festival in the Country and was awarded the USEF Foundation Challenge Trophy. In driving, Suzy Stafford (Bear, Del.) won the advanced single pony division with a three-phase score of 130.79. Winning the advanced single horse and advanced pair horse divisions were Robin Groves (Brownsville, Vt.) and Lisa Singer (Chadds Ford, Pa.), respectively. Bonita Ash (Avondale, Pa.) placed first in the intermediate single category and Jamie O'Rourke (Unionville, Pa.) won the intermediate pair horse division, while Bob Fetters (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Tracey Morgan (Beallsville, Md.) topped the dressage standings in the intermediate single and pair pony divisions, respectively. (Oct. 17) The Farnam-Platform/USEF Horse of the Year Gala will be held Jan. 14, 2006 in Cincinnati, Ohio during the annual meeting of the U.S. Equestrian Federation. (Oct. 17) Molly Gardner (Charlotte, N.C.) placed first in the North American League Children's Hunter Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show with a total two-round score of 161. (Oct. 18) Brianne Goutal (New York, N.Y.) defeated more than 100 of the nation's top junior riders to win the 2005 Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal Final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. (Oct. 18) Brianne Goutal won the individual title and the gold medal at the 2005 Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championship. (Oct. 18) The Zone 5 team, consisting of riders from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio, placed first in the USEF Prix de States Team Championship. (Oct. 18) Samantha Wagner (South Barrington, Ill.) won the $10,000 North American League Children's Jumper Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, while in the NAL Pony Jumper Finals, Rose Feldman (Huntington Valley, Pa.) placed first. For more information, log on to www.usef.org.

Fencing: (Oct. 14) The U.S. Women's Foil Team of Andrea Ament (Gates Mills, Ohio), Sam Nemecek (Alto, Mich.), Hanna Thompson (Rochester, N.Y.) and Doris Willette (Lafayette, Calif.) narrowly missed the quarterfinals of the 2005 World Championships, falling to France, 36-34. (Oct. 14) The U.S. Men's Saber Team of Adam Crompton (Newark, N.J.), Ivan Lee (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Tim Morehouse (Bronx, N.Y.) and Jason Rogers (Los Angeles, Calif.) earned fifth place at the 2005 World Championships. (Oct. 16) The U.S. Women's Saber Team of Sada Jacobson (Dunwoody, Ga.), Caitlin Thompson (Portland, Ore.), Rebecca Ward (Portland, Ore.) and Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) won gold at the 2005 World Championships with victories over Great Britain (45-38), France (45-32), Hungary (45-27) and Russia (45-36). The U.S. Men's Foil Team of Dan Kellner (Warren, N.J.), Jon Tiomkin (Hewlett, N.Y.), Jed Dupree (Bethlehem, Pa.) and Andras Horanyi (Boulder, Colo.) defeated Canada in their first match, 45-31, before losing to China (45-33), Poland (42-37) and Austria (36-35). For more information, log on to www.usfencing.org.

Field Hockey: (Oct. 12) The USA Field Hockey Under-18 Men's Team will play the British Columbia U-18 Team in a three-game series Nov. 11-13 in Vancouver, B.C. For more information, log on to www.usfieldhockey.com.

Figure Skating: (Oct. 14) The Figure Skating Channel, presented by U.S. Figure Skating and MediaZone, announced the addition of seven events to its webcasting schedule. (Oct. 17) U.S. Figure Skating announced that the 2006 Smart Ones Skate America will take place Oct. 26-29, 2006 in Hartford, Conn. and will be the first of six stops on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. (Oct. 17) Approximately 68 figure skaters from 16 countries will compete for points and prize money at the 2005 Smart Ones Skate America in Atlantic City, N.J. beginning with the compulsory dance Oct. 20. (Oct. 17) 1992 Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi (Fremont, Calif.) is among the inductees of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2006 and will be honored during the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Dec. 8 in Chicago, Ill. (Oct. 17) The final number of entries per country has been secured for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. The USA will send three ladies, three men, two pairs and three ice dancing duos to Torino, Italy. (Oct. 17) The United States, along with France and Canada, will field four judges-one in each of the four disciplines-at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. (Oct. 17) The International Skating Union announced the dates and locations of four major figure skating events to take place in 2008. (Oct. 18) Sasha Cohen (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) announced her withdrawal from the 2005 Smart Ones Skate America due to an injury. (Oct. 18) Twelve athletes will represent the United States in the eighth Junior Grand Prix event of the season Oct. 20-23 in Okaya City, Japan. For more information, log on to www.usfigureskating.org.

Gymnastics: (Oct. 17) USA Gymnastics named the six men who will compete at the 2005 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Nov. 21-27 in Melbourne, Australia. Team members are Jason Gatson (Mesa, Ariz.), Sean Golden (Houston, Texas), Justin Spring (Burke, Va.), Kevin Tan (Fremont, Calif.), Todd Thornton (Pearland, Texas) and Yewki Tomita (Tucson, Ariz.) plus alternate David Sender (Arlington Heights, Ill.). (Oct. 17) The United States earned a total of seven medals at the 2005 Massilia Gym Cup with Kassi Price (Plantation, Fla.) winning gold in the all-around, uneven bars and floor exercise and silver on the vault. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.

Luge: (Oct. 13) USA Luge will complete its 15-sled Fall 2005 World Cup Team roster through a series of race-offs continuing Oct. 20-21 at the Verizon Sports Complex track in Lake Placid, N.Y. (Oct. 18) Megan Sweeney (Suffield, Conn.) and the doubles luge team of Matthew Mortensen (Huntington Station, N.Y.) and Garon Thorne (Orem, Utah) jumped to first-day leads during USA Luge's Fall 2005 World Cup team trials. Sweeney clocked a two-run time of 1:31.094, while Mortensen and Thorne clocked a total time of 1:31.796. For more information, log on to www.usaluge.org.

Roller Sports: (Oct. 17) The Amateur Athletic Union of the United States of America announced that 15 new facilities joined the AAU Inline Hockey Family during September. (Oct. 17) USA Roller Sports released the tentative schedule for the 2006 Figure Skating National Championships July 23-Aug. 6 in Lincoln, Neb. For more information, log on to www.usarollersports.org.

Rowing: (Oct. 18) U.S. Rowing announced that it will move its headquarters from Indianapolis, Ind. to Mercer County, N.J. in 2006 in an effort to consolidate its corporate offices with its National Team Training Center. For more information, log on to www.usrowing.org.

Sailing: (Oct. 12) The 17th Annual U.S. Sailing Rolex Miami OCR will take place Jan. 22-27 in Miami, Fla. and will feature competition in 13 Olympic and Paralympic classes. (Oct. 17) Team Trouble-Matt Allen (Glen Oaks, N.Y.), Timothy Cain (Marlborough, N.J.), Brad Funk (Belleair Bluffs, Fla.), Heather Pescatello (Westerly, R.I.), Anna Tunnicliffe (Norfolk, Va.) and Mark Zagol (New York, N.Y.)-won the U.S. National Team Racing Championship. (Oct. 18) U.S. Sailing announced that Jim Teeters (Newport, R.I.) has joined the organization as associate offshore director. For more information, log on to www.ussailing.org.

Skeleton: (Oct. 14) On the second day of competition to determine the 2005-06 U.S. National Skeleton Team, Noelle Pikus-Pace (Orem, Utah) and Eric Bernotas (Avondale, Pa.) finished first in times of 1:56.85 and 1:54.56 in the women's and men's categories, respectively. On the women's side, Katie Uhlaender (Breckenridge, Colo.) finished second in 1:57.43 and Tristan Gale (Salt Lake City, Utah) placed third in 1:57.59. For the men, Caleb Smith (Lake Placid, N.Y.) came in second in 1:54.62, while Chris Soule (Trumbull, Conn.) placed third with a combined time of 1:55.13. For more information, log on to www.usbsf.com.

Skiing: (Oct. 13) The late disabled ski champion and U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame member Diana Golden Brosnihan was named to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. For more information, log on to www.usskiteam.com.

Soccer: (Oct. 12) The U.S. Men's National Team finished 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying play with a 2-0 victory over Panama in Foxboro, Mass. to end atop the CONCACAF Hexagonal for the first time in its history. (Oct. 12) A training camp for the U.S. U-17 Women's National Team began at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. (Oct. 16) The U.S. Women's National Team moved to 7-0-1 on the season after battling Australia to a 0-0 tie. The squad extended its shutout streak to nine games dating back to the final match of 2004. (Oct. 17) The U.S. Men's National Team will use Hamburg, Germany as its home base throughout the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup. For more information, log on to www.ussoccer.com.

Speedskating: (Oct. 14) Six-time Olympic medalist Bonnie Blair-Cruikshank (Milwaukee, Wis.) donated cable service, six 27-inch televisions and six DVD players for the long track speedskating altitude rooms at the Tommy Thompson Center in Milwaukee, Wis. (Oct. 14) U.S. Speedskating announced that Adam Riedy has assumed the newly-created position of elite athlete liaison in addition to his role as the Eastern development coach. (Oct. 17) The 2005 Fall World Cup Qualifier will be held Oct. 21-24 at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wis. The Pettit Center will also host a press conference Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. CT to announce a prestigious international competition to be held at the facility in November. For more information, log on to www.usspeedskating.org.

Swimming: (Oct. 18) The National Junior Team Training Camp will take place Oct. 28-30 in Colorado Springs, Colo. For more information, log on to www.usa- swimming.org.

Taekwondo: (Oct. 14) USA Taekwondo announced its 10-member Board of Directors. For more information, log on to www.usa-taekwondo.us

Track and Field: (Oct. 14) USA Track & Field awarded the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials to Eugene, Ore. (Oct. 18) The Boston Athletic Association will host the USA Distance Running Summit Oct. 21-23 in Boston, Mass. (Oct. 18) The 16th Annual Mayor's Cup Cross Country will be held Oct. 23 in Boston, Mass. (Oct. 18) Josh McDougal (Peru, N.Y.) has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after he set a course record of 23:12.6 at the Pre- National Meet on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind. (Oct. 18) Olympians Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.), Jon Drummond (Philadelphia, Pa.), Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas), Adam Nelson (Athens, Ga.) and Bershawn Jackson (Raleigh, N.C.) will speak to students at Dade Christian School Oct. 20 as part of USA Track & Field's Be A Champion program. The athletes will address healthy lifestyles, keeping active and living with integrity. For more information, log on www.usatf.org.

Volleyball: (Oct. 13) The Fdration Internationale de Volleyball announced the tournament schedule for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup that will be held Nov. 15-27 in Japan. (Oct. 13) Lora Webster (Cave Creek, Ariz.), one of the stars of the USA Women's National Sitting Volleyball Team, was named one of four finalists for Cosmopolitan magazine's Fun Fearless Female search contest. For more information, log on to www.usavolleyball.org.

Water Polo: (Oct. 13) Despite a tough defensive effort, the USA Junior National Team fell to Russia, 10-5, at the Junior World Championships in Mar Del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the USA's next game, Matt Sagehorn (Long Beach, Calif.) and Caleb Hamilton (Irvine, Calif.) each scored three goals as the USA defeated Argentina, 13-3. (Oct. 14) The Speedo Top 40, featuring four teams of the top 40 women's players in the country, and the accompanying open tournament will take place Nov. 4-6 at the USA Water Polo National Training Center in Los Alamitos, Calif. (Oct. 17) Caleb Hamilton scored two goals and Chay Lapin (Seal Beach, Calif.) recorded 16 saves as the USA Junior National Team beat New Zealand, 6-3, for 11th place at the Junior World Championships. For more information, log on to www.usawaterpolo.com.

Wrestling: (Oct. 12) USA Wrestling announced that the organization set membership records in four major categories-athletes, coaches, clubs and sanctioned events-during the 2004-05 year. (Oct. 14) FILA announced that the World Beach Wrestling Championships and the World Sambo Championships will be held Oct. 13-15, 2006 in Antalya, Turkey. For more information, log on to www.themat.com.