Smart leaving VCU to coach at Texas

Smart leaving VCU to coach at Texas

RICHMOND, Va.

Shaka Smart is leaving Virginia Commonwealth to coach the Texas Longhorns.

VCU sports information director Scott Day confirmed to reporters gathered at the campus Wednesday night that Smart was making the move. Smart met with VCU players earlier in the evening.

Texas athletic director Steve Patterson flew to Richmond on Thursday to close the deal.

Smart has been one of the hottest names in college coaching since leading the Rams to the Final Four in 2011. Patterson has zeroed in on bringing Smart to Texas immediately after firing former Longhorns coach Rick Barnes last weekend.

Terms of Smart’s contract were not immediately released and VCU said a statement would be released Thursday. Barnes made $2.62 million last season. Smart made $1.8 million with the Rams.

Smart has won at least 26 games in each of his six seasons at VCU.

Bowling Green fires men’s basketball coach

BOWLING GREEN

Bowling Green has fired coach Chris Jans after “an investigation into his recent public conduct,” the university said in a statement on Thursday.

He led the Falcons to a 21-12 record — a nine-game improvement — in his first year at Bowling Green.

The Falcons went 1-1 in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament after an 11-7 mark in the Mid-American Conference.

In the statement issued by the athletic department, the university said “Jans’ public conduct failed to meet his obligations as a head coach.” The university didn’t specify what the conduct was. Assistant Mark Downey is taking over day-to-day operations of the program while a search for a replacement begins.

Women’s golf league looking for members

BROOKFIELD

The Yankettes Women’s Golf League is seeking players for league play from May 6 through Aug. 26.

Cost to join is $30 plus weekly golf fee. For additional information, call Rita Shephard at 330-307-8108 or Beth Hanuschak at 330-539-4943.

OF Crisp to have elbow surgery

SAN FRANCISCO

Oakland Athletics left Coco Crisp will have surgery on his right elbow and could miss up to two months.

Crisp said before Thursday night’s exhibition game against San Francisco at AT&T Park that he will have the surgery on Friday to remove a bone chip and spurs.

Typical recovery time is six to eight weeks, but Crisp sounded optimistic and earlier tweeted that he was hopeful of returning sooner.

Crisp has not played since March 23. He missed eight days earlier this spring because of pain in his elbow.

The 35-year-old has been Oakland’s starting center fielder the previous five seasons, but was on the disabled list four times. The A’s moved Crisp to left field in hopes of keeping him more healthy.

Three selected as Hobey Baker award finalists

ST. PAUL, Minn.

Boston University forward Jack Eichel, North Dakota goalie Zane McIntyre and Harvard forward Jimmy Vesey have been selected as the three finalists for the Hobey Baker award, for the best player in college hockey.

The Hobey Baker organization made the announcement Thursday. The winner will be revealed April 10 in Boston, the site of the NCAA Frozen Four.

Eichel, an 18-year-old freshman, is expected to be picked first or second in the NHL draft this summer. He has 24 goals and 43 assists in 38 games for the Terriers.

McIntyre, a junior, has a record of 29-9-3 with a save percentage of .931, the sixth-best in the nation.

Vesey, a junior, finished the season with 32 goals and 26 assists in 37 games.

Staff/wire reports