FIVE MEMBERS OF THE 2011 GRADUATING CLASS AT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SIGNED PAPERS THURSDAY TO CONTINUE THEIR ATHLETIC CAREERS AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL. BASEBALLER TAYLOR WADE HANCOCK SIGNED WITH KENTUCKY WESLEYAN. MITCHELL BLACKMON WILL PLAY COLLEGIATELY IN OWENSBORO FOR BRESCIA UNIVERSITY, WITH ALEX DAVIE TO PLAY AT KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY. 

TWO MEMBERS OF THE 2010 CLASS FIVE A STATE RUNNER UP FOOTBALL TEAM WILL PLAY COLLEGIATELY AT MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY. DEFENSIVE BACK SHAKIR MOORE AND OFFENSIVE LINEMAN ALLEN MARTIN WILL JOIN COACH CHRIS HATCHER’S PROGRAM.

OVER 20 STUDENT ATHLETES FROM THE 2011 GRADUATING CLASS OF COLONELS WILL PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

TWO WESTERN KENTUCKY SCHOOLS HAVE ANNOUNCED COACHING HIRES.

THE PADUCAH SUN REPORTED THURSDAY LIVINGSTON CENTRAL HAS HIRED JIM LARSON AS ITS NEW GIRLS COACH, REX BOOTH AS THE BOYS COACH.

REIDLAND ALSO ANNOUNCED GREG BUTLER AS ITS NEW BOYS COACH. BUTLER IS SERVING IN HIS SECOND STINT AS COACH OF THE GREYHOUNDS.

FORMER UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE QUARTERBACK HEATH SHULER CONFIRMED HIS LOVE FOR HIS ALMA MATER THURSDAY. THE NORTH CAROLINA CONGRESSMAN TELLS THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL HE IS FLATTERED TO BE MENTIONED ABOUT BECOMING MIKE HAMILTON’S REPLACEMENT AS ATHLETICS DIRECTOR.

SHULER SAID AT A BREAKFAST THURSDAY IN UNION CITY HE IS FOCUSED ON HIS JOB AS A U-S REPRESENTATIVE. A KNOXVILLE RADIO STATION REPORTED EARLIER THIS WEEK SHULER HAD BEEN SPEAKING WITH U-T OFFICIALS ABOUT THE JOB.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY UNVEILED A NEW UNIFORM LOOK THURSDAY.

THE NEW BLUE UNIFORM IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE CATS WORE LAST SEASON ACCORDING TO THE LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER. HOWEVER THE WHITE UNIFORM DOES HAVE A BLUE SLEEVE AND BOTH UNIFORMS FEATURE CHECKERBOARD TRIM ON THE SLEEVES PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE SILKS SECRETARIAT WORE IN WINNING THE 1973 TRIPLE CROWN.

THE WILDCATS WILL ALSO HAVE BLUE AND WHITE HELMETS TO WEAR WITH THE NEW UNIFORMS NEXT SEASON.

FORMER MISSOURI QUARTERBACK TYLER GABBERT HAS TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE. THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS GABBERT WILL HAVE THREE YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY AFTER SITTING OUT THIS SEASON.

GABBERT’S OLDER BROTHER BLAINE—WHO SKIPPED HIS SENIOR YEAR AT MIZZOU—WAS DRAFTED AS THE 10^TH OVERALL PICK IN THE N-F-L DRAFT BY THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE’S BIG EAST CONFERENCE SCHEDULE WAS UNVEILED THURSDAY.

THE CARDS WILL PLAY PITTSBURGH, SYRACUSE AND DEPAUL BOTH AT THE KFC YUM CENTER AND ON THE ROAD.

OTHER CARDINAL CONFERENCE HOME GAMES INCLUDE: NATIONAL CHAMPION CONNECTICUT, GEORGETOWN, NOTRE DAME, RUTGERS, SOUTH FLORIDA AND VILLANOVA.

OTHER ROAD CONTESTS ARE AT CINCINNATI, MARQUETTE, PROVIDENCE, ST. JOHN’S, SETON HALL AND WEST VIRGINIA.

DATES FOR THE GAMES WILL BE RELEASED LATER THIS SUMMER.

AUSTIN PEAY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH CARRIE DANIELS HAS ANNOUNCED THE FINAL COACH FOR HER STAFF.

A FORMER LADY GOVERNOR LEGEND—BROOKE ARMISTEAD—WILL RETURN TO CLARKSVILLE. ARMISTEAD PLAYED ON FOUR TEAMS WHICH WON OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS. ARMISTEAD WAS ALSO THE FIRST O-V-C PLAYER TO BE DRAFTED INTO THE W-N-B-A.

ARMISTEAD WILL REPLACE LAPHELIA DOSS WHO RESIGNED AT THE END OF LAST SEASON.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

THE TRADEWATER PIRATES LOST AT FULTON 5-4, WITH THE SAME TEAMS TO PLAY THIS EVENING AT SEVEN AT RIVERSIDE PARK IN DAWSON SPRINGS.

OWENSBORO EDGED MARION 4-3, WITH THE TEAMS TO PLAY TONIGHT IN MARION.

THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS HAD A SEASON BEST FIVE GAME WIN STREAK END WITH A 6-5 LOSS AT ROUND ROCK. THE TEAMS PLAY GAME TWO OF THEIR SERIES THIS EVENING.

THE BOWLING GREEN HOT RODS WON 6-5 AT DAYTON, WITH GAME TWO OF THAT SERIES THIS EVENING.

THE CITY OF NASHVILLE WILL PAY A COMPANY MORE THAN 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A FEASABILITY STUDY FOR A NEW BALLPARK FOR THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS.

THE NASHVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL REPORTS KANSAS CITY COMPANY POPULOUS WILL STUDY POSSIBLE SPOTS FOR THE NEW PARK AS WELL AS ITS COST AND AVAILABLE FINANCING POSSIBILITIES. MAYOR KARL DEAN’S OFFICE HAS SAID IT WILL UTILIZE PLANS TO DETERMINE IF A NEW STADIUM IS NEEDED.

THE SOUNDS HAVE PLAYED AT HISTORIC GREER STADIUM SINCE 1978.

GOLF

THE GO JUNIOR SERIES CONTINUED THURSDAY AT CENTRAL CITY COUNTRY CLUB.

HOPKINSVILLE’S CAITLYN SHELTON FINISHED SECOND IN THE GIRLS 9-10 DIVISION, WITH JESSICA SHELTON WINNING THE GIRLS 11-12 DIVISION.

HOPKINSVILLE’S AUSTIN KNIGHT FINISHED 7^TH IN THE BOYS 13-15 DIVISION.

HOPKINSVILLE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB HAD A HOLE IN ONE EARLIER THIS WEEK. LEE CRAWFORD ON TUESDAY HIT A SEVEN IRON INTO THE HOLE ON THE PAR 3 7^TH HOLE WHICH PLAYED 160 YARDS. WITNESSES WERE BILL ANDERSON, DANIEL GREEN AND GREG BICK.

FIVE RECENT CHRISTIAN COUNTY GRADS SIGNED COLLEGE LETTERS TODAY TO CONTINUE THEIR ATHLETIC ENDEAVORS.

BASEBALLER TAYLOR WADE HANCOCK SIGNED WITH KENTUCKY WESLEYAN, WHILE TEAMMATE MITCHELL BLACKMON SIGNED WITH BRESCIA UNIVERSITY AND ALEX DAVIE SIGNED WITH KENTUCKY STATE.

FOOTBALLERS ALLEN MARTIN AND SHAKIR MOORE BOTH SIGNED WITH MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY.

THESE FIVE SIGNEES BRING THE TOTAL NUMBER ABOVE 20 FROM THE JUST GRADUATED CLASS WHO WILL CONTINUE THEIR ATHLETIC CAREERS COLLEGIATELY. 

COMMENTS FROM THE FIVE WILL BE HEARD FRIDAY MORNING ON THE WHOP FAMILY OF STATIONS.

IT’S SIGNING DAY FOR FIVE RECENT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. MITCHELL BLACKMON, TAYLOR WADE HANCOCK, ALEX DAVIE, ALLEN MARTIN AND SHAKIR MOORE WILL MAKE THEIR ANNOUNCEMENTS AT NOON TODAY AT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

COLLEGE NOTES

COULD FORMER TENNESSEE QUARTERBACK HEATH SHULER BECOME THE NEW ATHLETICS DIRECTOR AT HIS ALMA MATER?

THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA CONGRESSMAN SAYS RECENT FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES INDICATE HE’S NOT PLANNING TO LEAVE CAPITOL HILL ANYTIME SOON.

HOWEVER, A KNOXVILLE RADIO STATION REPORTED EARLIER THIS WEEK SHULER IS IN TALKS WITH U-T LEADERSHIP ABOUT THE JOB. A U-T SPOKESMAN SAYS A COMMITTEE IS SEARCHING FOR MIKE HAMILTON’S REPLACEMENT, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHO WAS BEING CONSIDERED.

THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL REPORTS FORMER TENNESSEE BASKETBALL COACH BRUCE PEARL ATTENDED THE FINAL OF THE ROCKY TOP SUMMER LEAGUE WITH HIS FAMILY WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

PEARL WATCHED HIS SON STEVEN’S TEAM WIN THE LEAGUE TITLE.

NFL

TENNESSEE TITANS WIDE RECEIVER KENNY BRITT HAS SURRENDERED TO NASHVILLE METRO POLICE. THE TENNESSEAN SAYS BRITT WAS RELEASED ON TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS BOND AFTER WARRANTS STEMMING FROM FALSE APPLICATIONS ON A DRIVERS LICENSE.

BRITT WILL MAKE A COURT APPEARANCE JULY 18^TH. THE WARRANTS WERE SWORN OUT IN APRIL AFTER BRITT ALLEGEDLY MADE FALSE STATEMENTS ON HIS DRIVERS LICENSE APPLICATION TWICE.

BRITT SPENT MOST OF THE OFF SEASON IN NEW JERSEY WHERE HE HAS HAD SEVERAL RUN INS WITH THE LAW.

GOLF

HOPKINSVILLE HIGH GOLFER DAYTON JONES IS PLAYING IN THE KENTUCKY QUALIFIER FOR THE 43^RD ANNUAL BIG I TOURNAMENT AT THE WILDCAT CLUB IN LEXINGTON.

IF JONES QUALIFYS, HE WILL PLAY IN THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD AUGUST 1-4 AT REUNION GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB IN MADISON, MISSISSIPPI.

ENTRY FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT LOCAL COURSES FOR THE GARLAND NISSAN CITY AM GOLF TOURNAMENT. THE TOURNAMENT WILL BE PLAYED JULY 29-31, WITH THE FIRST ROUND AT THE LINKS AT NOVADELL, THE SECOND AT HOPKINSVILLE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB AND THE FINAL ROUND AT WESTERN HILLS.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE WILL BE A WOMEN’S DIVISION IN THE TOURNAMENT. ENTRANTS MUST BE A CHRISTIAN COUNTY RESIDENT OR A MEMBER AT NOVADELL, WESTERN HILLS OR HOPKINSVILLE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB. THE TOURNAMENT WILL FEATURE SIX DIVISIONS.

THE ENTRY FEE IS 80 DOLLARS, WITH JUNIORS 12-17 PAYING 40 DOLLARS. THE FEE DOES NOT INCLUDE CART FEES AT EACH OF THE THREE COURSES.

THE ENTRY DEADLINE IS JULY 27^TH AT SIX P-M.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

THE TRADEWATER PIRATES IMPROVED TO 9-9 ON THE SEASON WITH A 7-0 SHUTOUT AT OWENSBORO. THE PIRATES PLAY AT FULTON THIS EVENING.

ELSEWHERE IN THE OHIO VALLEY LEAGUE: MARION SHUT OUT FULTON 8-0. MARION MEETS OWENSBORO THIS EVENING.

AFTER AN OFF DAY, THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS OPEN A SERIES THIS EVENING AT THE ROUND ROCK EXPRESS.

THE BOWLING GREEN HOT RODS WON AGAIN AT GREAT LAKES 4-3. THE HOT RODS OPEN A SERIES AT THE DAYTON DRAGONS THIS EVENING.

FIVE RECENT CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WILL HOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE TOMORROW TO ANNOUNCE WHERE THEY WILL CONTINUE THEIR ATHLETIC CAREERS COLLEGIATELY.

MITCHELL BLACKMON, TAYLOR WADE HANCOCK, ALEX DAVIE, ALLEN MARTIN AND SHAKIR MOORE WILL MAKE THEIR ANNOUNCEMENTS AT NOON IN THE CHRISTIAN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE HAS RECEIVED ITS 8^TH COMMITMENT FOR THE CLASS OF 2012.

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS JOSH APPLEBY—A PUNTER/KICKER FROM ATHENS, ALABAMA—MADE HIS DECISION TUESDAY. APPLEBY CHOSE LOUISVILLE OVER KENTUCKY, ALABAMA AND TEXAS.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY IS BEGINNING ITS SEARCH FOR A NEW BASEBALL COACH. THE BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS REPORTED TUESDAY CURRENT WKU PITCHING COACH MATT MYERS WILL INTERVIEW FOR THE JOB.

A WKU SPOKESMAN ALSO SAYS ATHLETICS DIRECTOR ROSS BJORK HAS STARTED IDENTIFYING CANDIDATES TO REPLACE CHRIS FINWOOD. FINWOOD LEFT LAST WEEK AFTER SIX SEASONS TO BECOME THE NEW COACH AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

THE TRADEWATER PIRATES FAILED TO GAIN SOME GROUND ON FIRST PLACE MARION IN THE OHIO VALLEY LEAGUE LAST NIGHT.

THE PIRATES LOST TO OWENSBORO 2-1. THE PIRATES HAVE NOW LOST NINE GAMES BY A TOTAL OF 15 RUNS. THE PIRATES PLAY AT OWENSBORO AGAIN THIS EVENING.

ELSEWHERE: FULTON AND MARION WERE RAINED OUT IN FULTON LAST NIGHT, WITH THE TWO TEAMS TO PLAY THIS EVENING IN MARION.

THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS PICKED UP THEIR FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN, SWEEPING NEW ORLEANS 3-2. AFTER AN OFF DAY, THE SOUNDS PLAY AT ROUND ROCK THURSDAY NIGHT.

THE BOWLING GREEN HOT RODS DEFEATED GREAT LAKES 8-6. THE TEAMS WILL PLAY THE FINALE OF THEIR SERIES THIS EVENING.

GOLF

PRINCETON’S EMMA TALLEY WILL PLAY IN THE U-S WOMEN’S OPEN NEXT WEEK.

THE CALDWELL COUNTY SENIOR TO BE AND UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA COMMITMENT LEARNED MONDAY SHE WILL BE IN THE FIELD. TALLEY WAS THE FIRST ALTERNATE AT HER QUALIFIER IN ILLINOIS A FEW WEEKS AGO.

TALLEY—WHO HAS WON THE LAST THREE AMERICAN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION EVENTS—WITHDREW FROM THIS WEEK’S EVENT IN OREGON TO PREPARE FOR THE OPEN.

THE U-S WOMEN’S OPEN WILL BE PLAYED IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WHAT WAS TERMED BY KENTUCKY ATHLETICS DIRECTOR MITCH BARNHART AS A “MAGICAL” RUN HAS EARNED COACH JOHN CALIPARI A CONTRACT EXTENSION.

THE UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED MONDAY CALIPARI HAS SIGNED A NEW EIGHT YEAR DEAL WHICH WILL PAY HIM A BASE SALARY OF 400-THOUSAND DOLLARS PER SEASON PLUS AN ADDITIONAL THREE POINT FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN ENDORSEMENTS AND MEDIA OBLIGATIONS. CALIPARI COULD ALSO EARN SIX POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN RETENTION BONUSES IF HE STAYS THROUGH 2019.

CALIPARI LED KENTUCKY TO ITS FIRST FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE IN MORE THAN A DECADE LAST SEASON AND AN ELITE EIGHT APPEARANCE IN HIS FIRST SEASON. CALIPARI IS 64-12 IN HIS FIRST TWO SEASONS AT KENTUCKY, INCLUDING A 33-0 RECORD IN RUPP ARENA.

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE WILL PLAY FOUR GAMES IN THE BAHAMAS IN AUGUST.

THE GAMES WILL TAKE PLACE AGAINST THREE BAHAMA TEAMS ALONG WITH AN INTRASQUAD GAME FROM AUGUST 10-13.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL—CITING A REPORT FROM W-V-L-T-TV KNOXVILLE SAYS FORMER TENNESSEE FOOTBALL PLAYER AARON DOUGLAS HAD MULTIPLE DRUGS IN HIS BODY WHEN HE WAS FOUND DEAD IN FLORIDA MAY 12^TH.

THE 21-YEAR-OLD DOUGLAS—A FRESHMAN ALL AMERICAN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AT U-T IN 2009—TRANSFERRED TO ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE AFTER LANE KIFFIN LEFT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. HE HAD SIGNED WITH ALABAMA AND GONE THROUGH SPRING PRACTICE THIS YEAR AND WAS EXPECTED TO SEE PLAYING TIME THIS FALL.

NFL

THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS NASHVILLE METRO POLICE ARRESTED A WOMAN MONDAY WHO IS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO EXTORT FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM TENNESSEE TITANS RECEIVER DAMIAN WILLIAMS.

SHELLEY ANN DAVID OF ANTIOCH IS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO MAKE A DEAL WITH WILLIAMS IN EXCHANGE FOR NOT TESTIFYING AGAINST WILLIAMS IN REGARDS TO A DOMESTIC ASSAULT COMPLAINT SHE MADE EARLIER THIS MONTH.

WILLIAMS WAS A ROOKIE FOR THE TITANS LAST SEASON, CATCHING 16 PASSES FOR 219 YARDS.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS AND ONE OF ITS MOST POPULAR PLAYERS WILL PART WAYS.

THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS THE TEAM WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO SIGN FREE AGENT FORWARD STEVE SULLIVAN. THE 36-YEAR-OLD SULLIVAN CAN SIGN WITH ANY TEAM BEGINNING FRIDAY.

SULLIVAN WAS ACQUIRED IN A TRADE FROM CHICAGO IN 2004. SULLIVAN HAS BATTLED INJURIES DURING HIS NASHVILLE DAYS AND MISSED THE ENTIRE 2007-08 SEASON WITH A CAREER THREATENING BACK INJURY.

SULLIVAN PLAYED 44 GAMES LAST SEASON AND WAS NAGGED BY CHRONIC GROIN ISSUES.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

RAIN FORCED POSTPONEMENT OF THE TRADEWATER PIRATES DOUBLEHEADER AT MARION MONDAY NIGHT. THE PIRATES PLAY AT THE OWENSBORO OILERS THIS EVENING.

THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS WON THEIR FOURTH GAME IN A ROW, DEFEATING NEW ORLEANS 8-2 MONDAY NIGHT AT GREER STADIUM. THE SOUNDS CLOSE OUT THE SERIES WITH THE ZEPHYRS TONIGHT AT GREER STADIUM.

THE BOWLING GREEN HOT RODS LOST AT GREAT LAKES 4-3, WITH GAME TWO OF THE SERIES THIS EVENING.

GOLF

THE TRI STATE PRO AM SERIES PLAYED MONDAY AT HOPKINSVILLE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB.

THE TEAM OF RONNIE YOUNG, DAVID GARRETT, WILLIARD BROWN AND GALE DOSSETT WON THE TEAM EVENT.

THE LOW PRO WAS DEE BROWN WITH 71, MITCHELL MOORE 75, BARRY PAYNE AND PHIL BADER TIED FOR THIRD WITH 76.

RONNIE YOUNG, LEE CRAWFORD AND TRAVIS BROWN TIED FOR LOW AMATEUR GROSS WITH 71, WHILE JIM KIMSEY WON LOW AMATEUR NET WITH 63.

THE NEXT TRI STATE PRO AM IS NEXT MONDAY JULY 4^TH AT WESTERN HILLS.

HOPKINSVILLE HIGH GOLFER DAYTON JONES FINISHED SECOND IN THE 17-18 DIVISION AT THE PEPSI TOUR STOP MONDAY AT SENECA GOLF COURSE IN LOUISVILLE. JONES SHOT 82.

JONES WILL BE ATTEMPTING TO QUALIFY FOR THE 43^RD BIG I TOURNAMENT THURSDAY AT THE WILDCAT CLUB IN LEXINGTON. THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN ITS 43^RD YEAR WILL BE HELD AUGUST 1-4 AT REUNION GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB IN MADISON MISSISSIPPI.

THE GO JUNIOR SERIES HELD AN EVENT MONDAY AT WESTERN HILLS GOLF COURSE.

HOPKINSVILLE’S JESSICA SHELTON FINISHED SECOND IN THE GIRLS 11-12 DIVISION WITH A 9 HOLE SCORE OF 53.

HOPKINSVILLE’S CAITLYN SHELTON WON THE SIX HOLE 9-10 DIVISION WITH A 47.

MADISONVILLE’S SETH STRADER WON THE BOYS 13-15 DIVISION WITH A 78, WITH HOPKINSVILLE’S AUSTIN KNIGHT WITH 95, HENDLEY TRAUGHBER 98, JAY CAMP 99 AND GRANT STAMPER 104.

HOPKINSVILLE’S JACK GARDNER WON THE BOYS 16-18 DIVISION WITH A 79, WILLIE GIBSON WAS THIRD WITH 93, KYLER JONES FIFTH WITH 98.