SPORTS BRIEF: Wednesday, April 28, 1999

Yale names coaches for both basketball teams James Jones, a former assistant coach at Yale, and Amy Backus, a former assistant coach at Northwestern, will get their first Division I head coaching opportunities with the Elis. Jones, 35, had served as assistant coach at Yale from 1995 to 1997 before heading to Ohio University, where he was assistant coach for two years. While in Ohio, he coordinated team recruiting and developed post players. Last year, he helped guide Ohio to an 18-10 overall record. Jones served as an assistant basketball coach from 1990 to 1995 at his alma mater, the University of Albany. As a player at Albany, he was a member of the 1985 team that appeared in the NCAA Tournament. Jones replaces Dick Kuchen, who resigned in March after the team posted a 4-22 record. Backus, 42, was assistant coach at Northwestern the past four years. She was responsible for floor coaching, team preparation, scheduling, off-season conditioning and player development. She was head coach at Middlebury College in Vermont from 1987 to 1994. The team captured the ECAC New England Division III championship in 1992-93. Prior to coaching at Middlebury, Backus was an assistant at the University of Vermont for one year. She replaces Cecelia DeMarco, who recently retired after guiding the Elis to a 10-16 mark last season. -- The Associated Press