WSU football player ineligible for nine games for substance violation

PULLMAN — The NCAA has ruled Washington State defensive tackle Dan Spitz ineligible for the first nine games of the 2010 season for violating the banned substance policy.

Spitz, a redshirt sophomore, will be allowed to practice with the team throughout the season. He will be eligible to compete for the Cougars when they host California, Nov. 6.

"Student-athletes are encouraged to consult with our athletic medicine, nutrition and strength and conditioning staffs with questions regarding any products," coach Paul Wulff said in a statement.

Spitz played in nine games last season, starting five, with one sack.

Linebacker Andre Barrington from Federal Way, a redshirt freshman, is ineligible for the season after failing to meet academic standards.

The Cougars' first fall football practice is Aug. 8.

High schools

• Coach Donna Lenseigne, who turned the Gonzaga Prep girls tennis program into a powerhouse, passed away unexpectedly early Tuesday. She was 51. Lenseigne died of organ failure. School activities coordinator Paul Manfred said doctors performed emergency open heart surgery and discovered a few of her organs were failing.

Under Lenseigne, Gonzaga Prep won seven straight Greater Spokane League championships (1997-2003) and didn't lose a match for eight years.

Elsewhere

• The installation of the unique red turf football field at Eastern Washington University is two weeks ahead of schedule. The first game on the field is Sept. 18 against Montana.

• The Everett Silvertips signed forward Josh Birkholz, 19, a third-round pick (67th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers. The Silvertips begin their eighth season in the Western Hockey League at home on Sept. 25.

• The Chicago Red Stars, a Women's Professional Soccer team, added midfielder Sophie Reiser, a Nathan Hale graduate, as a developmental player.

• Kamiak High graduate Ashley Kroll and women's pair teammate Felice Mueller of the United States won gold and set a world best time at the Under-23 World Rowing Championships in Belarus last weekend. Kroll and Mueller finished in 7:14.07, beating the previous record by 0.87 seconds.

• Jessica Cox, 27, is the new assistant women's basketball coach at Whitman College.

• Gonzaga senior-to-be Kyle Huus is in a tie for fifth after shooting a second-round 6-over par 77 at the Nebraska Amateur Championship golf tournament.

• The golf team from Washington state (Tyler Carlson, Carl Jonson, Charlie Mroz and Tyler Salsbury) is in 12th place out of 17 teams after the first round of the Junior America's Cup in Albuquerque, N.M.

From wire and sports information reports