Archive for the ‘Sports’ Category

Lance Armstrong will compete in the Tour of the Gila after all, the seven-time Tour de France champion’s first race since breaking his collarbone in a crash last month.

Race director Jack Brennan said Tuesday that Armstrong and Astana teammates Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner will be allowed to compete at this week’s event after USA Cycling reached an agreement with the International Cycling Union.

USA Cycling spokesman Andy Lee confirmed a deal was in place, one day after the UCI informed race organizers of a rule that bars top professional teams like Astana from sending organized squads to national-level races.

The compromise allows up to three members of a pro team to race individually without a team car or team director.

Brennan said the Astana riders plan to race wearing jerseys representing Mellow Johnny’s, Armstrong’s bike store in Austin, Texas. The BMC team that had entered an eight-man squad will also be allowed three members and must wear neutral jerseys.

Armstrong wrote early Tuesday on his Twitter feed that he was “Down at mellowjohnnys grabbing some jerseys, etc. to race in…”

The Tour of the Gila in Silver City, N.M., runs Wednesday through Sunday.

Armstrong broke his collarbone during the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon in Spain on March 23 and had surgery two days later. A stainless steel plate and 12 screws were inserted to stabilize it, and the American star has been working toward the Giro d’Italia beginning May 9.

Lee said the agreement allowing the Astana teammates to race in New Mexico was forged by USA Cycling’s chief operating officer, Sean Petty, and UCI president Pat McQuaid in Europe, where they were attending UCI road meetings.

“Sean had significant discussions with the UCI,” Lee said. “Ultimately, USA Cycling and the UCI worked together to find a resolution.”

UCI officials didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

“I thought it was a lost cause, but Sean Petty went to bat for us,” Brennan said.

The deal was hailed on the American side, where the most visible rider in the sport will lend some significant star power to the Tour of the Gila.

“Any opportunity Lance has to race in the United States is a good thing,” Lee said. “And for him to compete in the Tour of the Gila along with Levi and Chris, that’s good for racing in America.”

Brennan said it was important to work out an agreement because other races elsewhere in the United States have had similar issues.

“They are trying to resolve this issue now or work toward a resolution so other promoters are not caught in the same situation,” Brennan said. “It would be good for the sport to work this thing out.”

For a complete listing of events in Las Cruces, visit www.lascrucescvb.org.

By: Stephany Trego

LAS CRUCES, NM— The 2008 United States Specialty Sports Association World Hispanic Slow Pitch Softball Championship will be held in Las Cruces September 12th – 14th. The event is a celebration of the Hispanic Culture, but is not limited to Hispanic participants.

The five divisions for the tournament are men’s competitive, men’s recreation, women’s competitive, women’s recreation and mixed recreation. However, depending on the number of teams in women’s and mixed, it may be combined into one division (competitive).

The mixed division will kick off the event at noon on Friday, and games will be played at Harty Softball Complex, Paz Park and Maag Park.

There will be 75-80 teams participating in the event, all coming from New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and California.

Kevin Naegele is the USSSA Executive Vice-President and is glad Las Cruces was chosen as this year’s location.

“I am excited that Las Cruces was awarded one of most prestigious tournaments USSSA has to offer.  With the experience that Bert Frederick has in running premier events, it should be a memorable experience for our teams that visit Las Cruces.”

The tournament will have a significant economic impact on the city of Las Cruces, with $200,000 in expected revenue for the two day period.

For more information, call Bert Frederick at 575-647-3034.

By Stephany Trego

Las Cruces, NM- The New Mexico State University American Indian Program & Athletic Department will help co-host the 2008 Indigenous Soccer Cup at NMSU from July 20th through the 26th. More than 34 communities will be represented by 24 Native youth teams in this positive youth development event.

In addition to the top-level soccer competition, there will be college/university workshops, soccer skills sessions, and life and leadership workshops. A gala dinner and reception will kick off the event on July 19th from 5 to 8 pm at the NMSU Corbett Center Ballroom.

This year, the ISC will be in remembrance of Vaughn Aldrich Lujan, (March 25, 2006 – April 19, 2008), who died after a brief illness this spring. Lujan’s father, Arron Lujan (formerly from Las Cruces) was a youth soccer star in New Mexico and went on to earn collegiate All-American honors at Colorado College, eventually playing professional soccer for seven years. 

For information regarding the ISC, or about attending the gala, please contact Southwest Youth Services at 505.265.4300, or at info@sysnm.org.  
 
 

by Bianca L. Granado 

Las Cruces, NM – Basketball won’t be the only entertainment at the 2008 WAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. Beginning Wednesday, March 12 through Saturday, March 15 there will be a variety of activities and entertainment on the north side at the Pan American Center parking lot at New Mexico State University for fans to enjoy.

The following is a list of scheduled events and times:

Wednesday, March 12th – “Family Day” 4 to 6 p.m.

Magician, face painting, balloon artist, jumping booth, Pistoleros, twister, fire trucks, National Guard basketball, poster making station, free popcorn

Live radio remote

Thursday, March 13th – “Up, Up and Away” 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.

Tethered hot air balloon rides w/ photo ops, balloon glow in the evening, rocket launchers, piñatas, various food vendors, mariachi music, and ballet folklorico

Friday, March 14th – “The WAC Goes Back” 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m

Antique car show, swing and other types of “oldies” music (live performances), dancing, various food vendors

Saturday, March 15th – “Wild, Wild, West” 12 to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.

Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, gun fight, dancing, Native American performances, live performance by Josh Grider, various food vendors

March 13th – 15th – “New Mexican Shopping Experience” Th. – F. 11am – 6pm & Sat. 3pm – 6pm

Tents showcasing local vendors selling New Mexican products.

For more information contact Maria Roth, assistant athletic director of NMSU, at (575) 646-4126.

All-session passes for the 2008 WAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament are on sale now at the Pan Am Ticket office at New Mexico State University.

Student all-session passes both reserved and general admission for the tournament are $30 each, while all-session passes for the general public range from $60 to $450 for reserve seating and $35 for general admission. All-session passes include 16 games set-up in nine sessions.

Students from other WAC member institutions can also purchase their all-session pass for a separate reserved seating section.

Seating in the lower bowl for students is reserved seating, while seating in the upper bowl corners are general admission. Students must present a valid student I.D. to purchase student tickets and will be limited to two tickets per I.D.

Single game tickets will go on sale March 10.

For more information call the Pan Am Ticket Office at (575) 646-1420.

HUSTLE UP STREET BALL, in conjunction with JUMPUSA.COM and K1X is bringing the street ball phenomenon that’s been sweeping the major cities of this country for the last few years, right here to Las Cruces, New Mexico! The sensational street ball legends, which have dominated the scene in recent times and have been described as the Generation-X Harlem Globetrotters, will be playing against the best Las Cruces has to offer, the team will be chosen by Las Cruces High School boys basketball Coach Smith.

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008 Las Cruces High School Gymnasium will be rocking with the best street ball players in the world. There will be tenacious dunks, incredible passing and the most unbelievable tricks you have ever seen. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tip-off is at 7 p.m.

The HUSTLE UP STREET BALL Team, including ‘PROFESSOR’, ‘HIGHRIZER’, ‘SPRINGS’, ‘G HOST’, ‘ICEMAN’, ‘BIG SWOAL’, ‘AIRBAMA, ‘AO’ ‘SPYDA’and ‘A-MONEY’ is guaranteed to entertain. Each of the players have participated in one or more of the following events, videos and movies: the Mountain Dew/AND1 Mixtape Tour, the Magic Johnson/MTV “Who’s Got Game” Reality TV show, Nike Dribbling Commercials (the Nike Freestyle Team), ESPN & ESPN2′s Street Ball Series, the movies ‘Above the Rim’, ‘On Hallowed Ground’ and/or “Crossover” (2006), various EA Sports Street Ball Video Games for PS2 and Xbox, PS3 or Xbox 360 (representing characters) and played on or captained a team in the legendary NY Rucker Park Basketball Games.

In its fourth year, The Hustle Up Street Ball mission remains the same: bring the best street ball players in the world to your community, not only will the players entertain the audience with their skills and talents on the court, but they are known for devoting their time to every city they visit. During stops in each city, the performers visit local schools and youth organizations, speak to the youth about the importance of education and avoiding drugs and gangs, award certificates to students with outstanding grades, distribute game tickets to the underprivileged, donate a portion of the door proceeds to the high school that hosted the event, and visit the local pediatric units to spend time with children.

The half-time show will feature a Slam Dunk exhibition and pre-expo warm-up using JUMPUSA’s Jumpsoles so you can see how the players got their ups.

The Hustle-Up Street Ball Tour has been touring competitively since 2004. This tour is a guaranteed crowd pleasing and high energy event that has traveled to select cities around the United States and Canada.

Tickets are available at the Las Cruces High School Athletic Department and at the door the day of the game. For more information contact Linda Hill at (917) 806-3700 or visit http://www.hustleupstreetball.com.

by Bianca L. Granado 

Las Cruces has been chosen as a stop on the 2008 “Bound for Beijing” tour, which has been designed to help prepare the USA Softball Women’s National Team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The team is scheduled to play New Mexico State University’s softball team at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at the NMSU Softball Complex.

“Our team is thrilled at this opportunity and I would encourage anyone interested in the Olympic Games or softball to join us for this once in a lifetime opportunity right here in Las Cruces,” said Kathy Rodolph, head coach for the NMSU softball team.

Gates will open at 11 a.m. The team will make over 40 stops across the country, competing against NCAA Division I opponents, regional all-star teams, and international competition.

Admission tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at Sports Accessories, located at 250 N. Solano or by requesting them through e-mail at tourticket26@yahoo.com.

Las Cruces will finish out the year by hosting an internationally televised professional boxing match, sponsored by Top Rank Boxing, on Friday, Dec. 21.

“A night of undefeated warriors” will be televised on Telefutura and will feature a ten-round lightweight clash between Urbano Antillon (20-0, 13 KO’s) of Chihuahua, Mexico and Adrian Valdez (18-5-3, 9 KOs) of Cuidad Juarez. Also slated to fight on the card will be the 2004 National Amateur Champion, Las Cruces’ Austin Trout (12-0, 10 KO’s), vs. Jesse Orta, (7-11-1, 4 KOs), of Dallas, Texas.

The event will be held at Dickerson’s Events Center, 3920 W. Picacho Ave. Doors open at 5 pm, fights start at 5:20 pm and live broadcast begins at 6 pm. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $40 for ringside and can be purchased at all area Pic Quiks.

For more information, contact Louie Burke at (575) 496-7886.

Former Aggie Head Coach/New Sacramento Kings Head Coach, Reggie Theus, to Host the Dallas Mavericks at the Pan American Center on Tuesday, October 16

Reggie Theus’ fans will have one more chance to see the former head Aggie basketball coach in action in Las Cruces as the Sacramento Kings face the Dallas Mavericks in a Tuesday, Oct. 16 preseason home contest at the Pan American Center located on the corner of University Ave. and Payne St.

The game will signify a homecoming for new Kings Head Coach Reggie Theus and Assistant Coach Randy Brown. Theus, a two-time All-Star who played 13 years in the NBA and was a member of the 1985 inaugural Sacramento Kings, is fresh off the heels of leading New Mexico State to a berth in the NCAA Tournament (a first for the school since 1999).  

Theus coached the Aggies for two seasons, compiling a 41-23 record.  In his first year at the helm of the NMSU program, Theus guided the Aggies to a tie for the fifth-best turnaround in all of Division I basketball and the best single-season improvement of any NMSU squad since the 1985-86 season.

“It’s an honor to go back to New Mexico State and a program I will always consider myself a part of,” said Theus. “It’ll be great to see all the Panamaniacs and Reggie Nation one last time and have the opportunity to address my former players. It will definitely feel like I am coming home. I have much love and respect for the school, players, administration, Dr. Martin and Dr. Boston, the Board of Regents and the community. The best thing about Las Cruces is that the community and the administration are one big family.  Everyone is pulling for the right thing.”

Brown, a three-time NBA Champion with the Chicago Bulls and 12-year NBA veteran, enjoyed a two-year career at New Mexico State. He played four years (1991-95) for the Kings after being drafted by Sacramento in the second round (31st overall) of the 1991 NBA Draft and spent five seasons (1995-00) in Chicago, leading the Bulls in assists during the 1999-00 campaign. Brown also was a member of the Kings the last time the team played a preseason game at New Mexico State in 1993.

“I’m very pleased that the Maloof brothers and Coach Theus have decided to play a preseason game at NMSU this fall,” said Dr. McKinley Boston, NMSU Athletic Director.  “It is a great opportunity for our fans, especially the ‘Panamaniacs,’ to rally in support of the work that Coach Theus did in turning around our basketball program and laying the foundation for us to build upon.  It is also another wonderful development and branding opportunity for our Department and we look forward to working with the Kings in making this a very successful event for the Kings, NMSU and our community.”

The Kings will feature NBA veterans such as Mike Bibby, Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Kevin Martin, as well as first round draft pick (10th overall) Spencer Hawes. The Mavericks, holding the best regular season record in the NBA during the 2006-07 season, will showcase forward Dirk Nowitzki, who claimed the NBA’s MVP award last season, as well as Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse.

Tickets are priced from $15 to $75 and may be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com. Tickets also may be purchased by calling the Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at (915) 544-8444 or (505) 532-2060 or visiting the Pan Am Center Ticket Office or any Ticketmaster Outlet.

by Bianca L. Granado 

More than 80 teams will be competing in the Girls Fast Pitch Amateur Softball Association 10 and under and 12 and under Class B Western Nationals on Wednesday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 5 in Las Cruces.

Teams in the 10 and under category will compete at Maag Park, located at 1700 E. Hadley, while teams in the 12 and under category will compete at the Field of Dreams Softball Complex, located at 1601 Bruins St.

There will be an opening ceremony at 7 pm on Tuesday, July 31 at the Field of Dreams to introduce the teams, umpires and for the presentation of colors.

Of the 80 teams, almost 60 are from California.

Las Cruces is no stranger to ASA news and events. The Field of Dreams Softball Complex was chosen as the ASA 2006 Complex of the Year. Various other ASA tournaments and competitions have also been played in Las Cruces in the past.

Admission to the games is $20 for adults for a tournament pass or $5 for a daily pass. Children 10 and under are fee.

For more information, contact the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau at 505-541-2216, or by email at ecarnathan@las-cruces.org.