Sports briefs 1/2/04

Baseball

David Wells, the hefty, free-spirited lefty, spurned the New York Yankees and agreed to a one-year contract with his hometown Padres on Wednesday.

College

Kansas State quarterback Ell Roberson was accused Thursday of sexually assaulting a woman at the team hotel, leaving his start in tonight's Fiesta Bowl in question. Roberson told police he had consensual sex with the 22-year-old woman, who is a Kansas State alumna and acquaintance of the quarterback, Paradise Valley police Lt. Ron Warner said. Athletic director Tim Weiser said it would be up to coach Bill Snyder whether Roberson plays against Ohio State.

Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles said Thursday that Nebraska officials planned to speak with Razorback coach Houston Nutt about the Cornhusker coaching vacancy. Nutt said Thursday morning that there had been no contact with Nebraska, but Broyles said Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson called him Wednesday. Nutt coached the Razorbacks to a 27-14 victory over Missouri in the Independence Bowl Wednesday night. On Thursday, Kansas City Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said his offensive coordinator, Al Saunders, had turned down the coaching job at Nebraska. Nutt has a 48-27 record over six years at Arkansas.

Golf

Harold Henning, who won more than 50 golf tournaments during a nearly five-decade career, died Thursday at 69. He lived in Miami Beach and died after a long illness, the PGA Tour said. Henning, who was born in South Africa, came to the United States to compete in 1954 and played his way onto the PGA Tour in 1966.

Hockey

Doug MacLean stepped down as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday after failing to duplicate the success he had in Florida. MacLean remains president and general manager of the Blue Jackets, who have the worst record in the NHL. Assistant Gerard Gallant was elevated to the head coaching spot. MacLean coached the Florida Panthers to the 1996 Stanley Cup finals in the franchise's third season. The 49-year-old MacLean had a record of 24-43-8-4 as the Blue Jackets' head coach.

-- From wire reports