Sports digest 1/10/01

College

Southeast Missouri State University soccer players Beth Guccione and Jenny Hamilton were recently named to the SoccerBuzz All-Central region third team.

Guccione, a senior goalkeeper, and Hamilton, a junior defender, are the first Otahkians honored nationally in the program's three-year history.

Guccione, the OVC Player of the Year, recorded 13 shutouts in 18 games. Hamilton, the OVC Defensive Player of the Year, led a defense that allowed just eight goals all season.

Chrissi Glastetter, a third-year middle hitter and co-captain for St. Louis College of Pharmacy, has been named an NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete for the 2001 collegiate volleyball season.

Glastetter, a 1999 graduate of Jackson High School, broke two team records this year with 721 career kills and 104 solo blocks in a single season. She has a 3.96 GPA.

Rivals Nebraska and Oklahoma were the latest schools to lose All-Americans a year early to the NFL.

Nebraska left guard Toniu Fonoti and Oklahoma safety Roy Williams made it official Wednesday, announcing they are passing up a final season of eligibility for the NFL draft.

Boston College's William Green, the nation's second leading rusher, also said he's leaving for the NFL. Green ran for 1,559 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, leading the Eagles to an 8-4 record, including a 20-16 win over Georgia in the Music City Bowl.

Basketball

Charlotte Hornets co-owner Ray Woolridge met Wednesday with New Orleans business and political leaders and toured possible sites for a training facility as he considered where to relocate the NBA team.

"Things are going very well. We're still in the negotiating process," said Wooldridge, a minority owner of the Hornets. "We expect to have our relocation decision by the end of January."

Officials released few details about negotiations with the team or any possible financial inducements perhaps to lure the Hornets, whose suitors also have included St. Louis.

An unnamed source told The Charlotte Observer that the team is expected to file the relocation paperwork within two weeks and that New Orleans is the expected destination. Wooldridge would not discuss the report.

New Orleans is not the only city the Hornets have considered for relocation. After Charlotte voters rejected an arena proposal in June, Wooldridge and co-owner George Shinn began looking for an alternative home. They also have negotiated with representatives of Louisville, Ky.; Norfolk, Va.; St. Louis and Anaheim, Calif.

Hockey

Peter Forsberg's return to the Colorado Avalanche after nearly a four-month absence would be met with enthusiastic acceptance by his once-jilted teammates.

Forsberg, who took an unexpected leave of absence from the team on Sept. 15 because of injuries, told Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix he would fly to Denver this week from his home in Sweden to announce his plans.

He is expected to rejoin the team in a matter of days and then play for Sweden next month in the Olympics.

Avalanche officials did not return calls Wednesday seeking comment on Forsberg's situation.

Coach Bob Hartley dodged the question after Wednesday morning's skatearound, saying, "As soon as we have some news, we are going to let you know."

-- From staff, wire reports