Martelli signs contract extension through 2012
Saint Joseph's basketball coach Phil Martelli signed a contract extension that will keep him with the school through 2012 following a season in which he led the Hawks to their best record in team history.
"My family and I could not be happier that my coaching career will begin and end on Hawk Hill," Martelli said Thursday.
Martelli, entering his 10th year as St. Joseph's coach, led the Hawks to a 30-2 record last year when they reached No. 1 in the AP poll, earned a top seeding in the NCAA Tournament for the first time and made their first trip to a regional final since 1981. Martelli was The Associated Press coach of the year.
In nine years, Martelli is 179-99 and has led the Hawks to four straight postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournament berths, and four consecutive Atlantic-10 regular-season titles.
Martelli spent 10 years as an assistant at St. Joseph's before becoming head coach in 1995. He had signed an extension though 2010 in October.
-- AP
Penn X-Country begins season in strong fashion
The Penn men's cross country team got off to a strong start to its 2004 season, placing third Saturday at the Fordham Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in New York.
Five Quakers finished in the top-15 individually, led by sophomore John Brackman, who placed eighth overall with a time of 26:12:03.
After two competitors followed Brackman, a pack of Quakers crossed the finish line. Junior Breton Bonnette took 11th place, followed by senior Matt Van Antwerp in 13th, freshman Brian Goldberg in 14th and sophomore Ian Foley in 15th place.
Freshman Claire Kim led the women's cross country team to a fourth-place finish in the same event.
In her Penn debut, Kim ran the course in 19:09.83, good enough for ninth place overall and pacing the Quakers women.
Both teams return to action Sept. 18 at the Delaware Invitational, an event both Penn teams won a year ago.
-- Harry Berezin San Diego beats Holy Cross on last-second TD
San Diego, Penn's first opponent of the 2004 football season, beat Holy Cross in dramatic fashion Saturday, 37-31.
The Crusaders had tied the game at 31 late in regulation after a 92-yard kickoff return by Casey Gough. But the Toreros got one last chance to win before overtime, and quarterback Todd Mortensen made it count.
After two completions brought the ball to the Holy Cross 26, Mortensen hit Adam Hannula for the winning touchdown pass with just two seconds remaining.
-- H.B.
