COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior Alyssa Thomas and senior Tianna Hawkins of the Maryland women’s basketball team were named to the Associated Press All-America Team Tuesday. Thomas was named to the Second Team and is honored for the second straight year. Hawkins earned All-America Honorable Mention honors.

Thomas, who was named ACC Player of the Year for the second straight season, averaged 18.8 points per game, 10.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists on the season. She is the only player in the country to rank in the top 50 of all three stats. She led the ACC in all three and recorded two triple-doubles this year.

Thomas is also the first Terrapin to be named ACC Player of the Year twice and the first – male or female – to notch two triple-doubles.

Thomas was named to the AP First Team last year. She is the fourth Terrapin to earn AP All-America honors, behind Crystal Langhorne, Kristi Toliver and Marissa Coleman. Langhorne was honored three times (2006, 2007, 2008), Toliver was honored twice (2008, 2009) and Coleman once (2009).

Hawkins, a First Team All-ACC honoree, ended her career No. 11 on Maryland’s all-time scoring list with 1,595 points and No. 3 in rebounds with 1,086. She is the third Terrapin in history to break 1,000 rebounds, behind only Langhorne and Coleman. She scored in double figures in 31 of 34 games this season and notched 17 double-doubles. She was No. 2 in the ACC in scoring (18.0) and rebounding (9.7).

In Saturday’s Sweet Sixteen matchup, the fourth-seeded Terrapins hung with top-seeded Connecticut early, but a spurt to start the second half put the Huskies in front to advance to the Elite Eight, 76-50.

Thomas finished the season with 640 points, 349 rebounds and 181 assists. She is the only Terrapin to hit 600 points, 300 rebounds and 150 assists in a season. Coleman notched 653 points, 309 rebounds and 120 assists in the 2008-09 season.

The Terrapins went 26-8 on the year, finished second in the ACC and advanced to their fifth Sweet Sixteen in head coach Brenda Frese’s 11 years.

Frese has led the Terrapins to nine NCAA Tournament appearances four Elite Eights, a Final Four and the 2006 NCAA Championship. She’s 21-8 (.724) with Maryland in the Tournament.

Frese was named WBCA Regional Coach of the Year earlier this week and Thomas was named a finalist for the prestigious State Farm Wade Trophy. Frese is one of eight Regional Coaches of the Year and is a finalist for WBCA National Coach of the Year.

BENIMON NAMED AP HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN
Towson Junior Listed Among the Nation’s Best Players

TOWSON, Md. – Towson University junior forward Jerrelle Benimon added to his list of postseason accomplishments on Tuesday when he was selected as an Honorable Mention All-American by The Associated Press.

The All-America honor is the first of Benimon’s career, while he is the third Tiger to earn the accolade. Towson standout Devin Boyd earned AP All-America status in 1991, a year after Kurk Lee was honored.

Benimon, who was also recently named a Lou Henson All-American, ranked second in the nation with 20 double-doubles. The 6-8 forward was the fourth leading scorer in the Colonial Athletic Association with 17.1 points per game and reached double figures in 27 of 31 outings.

The 2013 CAA Player of the Year, Benimon led the conference and ranked third in the nation with 11.2 rebounds per game and his 346 rebounds set a Towson single-season record. It was the sixth-highest rebound total in a season in CAA history. Showing his all-around game, Benimon was also third in the conference in blocked shots (1.9 bpg) and fourth in field goal percentage (53.3 percent) while leading Towson with 79 assists.

Led by Benimon and head coach Pat Skerry, Towson is coming off its most successful season since 1993. The Tigers, who went 18-13 overall and finished second in the CAA, recorded the largest single-season turnaround in NCAA history during the 2012-13 season. Towson returns four of five starters next season, including Benimon.

2013 ASSOCIATED PRESS DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
Trey Burke, Michigan
Otto Porter Jr., Georgetown
Victor Oladipo, Indiana
Doug McDermott, Creighton
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga

2013 ASSOCIATED PRESS DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Cody Zeller, Indiana
Mason Plumlee, Duke
Shane Larkin, Miami
Ben McLemore, Kansas

2013 ASSOCIATED PRESS DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
DeShaun Thomas, Ohio State
Jeff Withey, Kansas
Russ Smith, Louisville
Erick Green, Virginia Tech
Nate Wolters, South Dakota State

2013 ASSOCIATED PRESS DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA HONORABLE MENTION
Kyle Barone, Idaho; Jerrelle Benimon, Towson; Anthony Bennett, UNLV; Tommy Brenton, Stony Brook; Sherwood Brown, Florida Gulf Coast; Isaiah Canaan, Murray State; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia; Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse; Ian Clark, Belmont; Jake Cohen, Davidson; Jack Cooley, Notre Dame; D.J. Cooper, Ohio; Allen Crabbe, California; Aaron Craft, Ohio State; Seth Curry, Duke; Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary’s; Gorgui Dieng, Louisville; James Ennis, Long Beach State; Chris Flores, NJIT; Jamal Franklin, San Diego State; Ian Hummer, Princeton; Colton Iverson, Colorado State; Joe Jackson, Memphis; Kareem Jamar, Montana; Lamont Jones, Iona; Ray McCallum, Detroit; Rodney McGruder, Kansas State; Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA; Erik Murphy, Florida (1 first-team vote); Mike Muscala, Bucknell; Stan Okoye, VMI; Jamal Olasewere, LIU Brooklyn; Phil Pressey, Missouri; Augustine Rubit, South Alabama; Peyton Siva, Louisville (1); Taylor Smith, Stephen F. Austin; Omar Strong, Texas Southern; Kendall Williams, New Mexico; Pendarvis Williams, Norfolk State; Khalif Wyatt, Temple.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior forward Alyssa Thomas of the Maryland women’s basketball team was named to the Associated Press Preseason All-American Team, released this week. The team was voted on by a panel of national media members.

Thomas led the ACC in scoring last year with 17.2 points per game and was named ACC Player of the Year. She was just the second sophomore to earn the league’s top individual honor. She finished the year among the best in the league with 8.0 rebounds per game, assists (3.2), free throw percentage (80.1) and defensive rebounds (5.5).

At the end of the 2011-12 season, she was named an AP First Team All-American, WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-American and a USBWA All-American.

Thomas is joined on the AP’s Preseason All-American Team with Brittney Griner (Baylor), Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford), and Odyssey Sims (Baylor).

Maryland is ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press preseason poll, released Saturday, as well as in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Division I Coaches’ poll. The Terps have started the season ranked in each of the last eight years.

The Terrapins, who return four of five starters from last year’s ACC Championship squad, ended the 2012-13 season ranked No. 5 in the AP poll. The Terps went 31-5 last year and went to the NCAA Elite Eight.

The Terrapins were picked to finish second in the ACC this year. 2012 ACC Player of the Year Alyssa Thomas, senior Tianna Hawkins and junior Laurin Mincy were all named to the 10-member Preseason All-ACC Team. Thomas was also voted the Preseason Player of the Year.

Incoming freshman Malina Howard was named to the ACC’s Newcomer Watch List. Howard, a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, was the No. 1 post player in the country in this year’s freshman class.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A former University of Virginia lacrosse player has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for the alcohol-fueled beating death of his ex-girlfriend.

George W. Huguely V was sentenced Thursday in Charlottesville for the slaying of Yeardley Love, a 22-year-old suburban Baltimore woman who was found face down in her blood-soaked pillow on May 3, 2010. Authorities said the 24-year-old defendant left his on-again, off-again girlfriend to die after he kicked a hole in her bedroom door and physically confronted her about their sputtering two-year relationship. Police said he had been drinking heavily that day.

Circuit Judge Edward Hogshire reduced the jury’s recommended sentence by three years. The jury found the Chevy Chase, Md., man guilty in February of second-degree murder and grand larceny. The defense sought a 14-year sentence.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Torrey Smith is no longer unnoticeable. When the second-year Baltimore Ravens receiver ventures into public, he’s recognized just about everywhere he goes.

During his three years as a standout receiver at the University of Maryland, Smith was just another face in the crowd.

Now, after finishing the 2011 NFL season with 50 catches for 841 yards and seven touchdowns, Smith seemingly can’t go anywhere in the Baltimore area without drawing a crowd.

“It’s definitely different, especially publicly,” Smith said. “Before, I could walk anywhere and no one would say anything. I like going everywhere; I’m a mall guy, I’m a movie guy. And now it’s a lot different. But I just appreciate it, and being in Baltimore, you definitely appreciate our fans.”

In 2011, Smith set franchise rookie records in receptions, yards and touchdowns.

He assumed the role of Baltimore’s deep threat during the third week of the 2011 season against the St. Louis Rams. Smith’s first three catches went for long touchdowns, as he ended the day with five receptions for 152 yards and three scores.

Smith also caught the game-winning touchdown on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers and enjoyed a six-catch, 165-yard, one touchdown performance against Cincinnati. Smith primarily ran deep routes during the 2011 season, utilizing his speed for the big play.

To improve his overall package, Smith spent the much of his offseason working with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco to perfect timing on various routes. The two, along with some of the other younger receivers, would meet at Baltimore’s practice facility, whether organized team activities were scheduled or not. Flacco said he admired the extra time Smith put in.

“It’s just awesome when you have a good kid like that, that wants to do everything right and wants to be the best,” Flacco said. “It’s very easy to work with him.”

Smith said his numbers last year could have been better if he finished some of the plays he didn’t convert. Ravens coach John Harbaugh has taken notice of this attitude.

“All he thinks about is how he can get better,” Harbaugh said. “He is the most efficient improver — if that’s a word — that I’ve ever seen. He gets the most out of every day, and that’s why he’s going to continue to become a great player.”

One aspect that will help Smith is that he won’t be hindered by the sports hernia he sustained during last season’s campaign. Smith said he could barely get in and out of his routes without cringing. He fought through the pain and managed to finish the season strong.

During the offseason, he had surgery and rehabilitated the injury.

“When it started to get cold, it was terrible,” Smith said. “I was fighting that battle every day, and now I’m able to run and get out of my breaks. I’m not feeling any pain at all. So, thank you for the surgery.”

Though his sports hernia is healed, Smith has been dealing with a minor ankle injury that occurred against Atlanta in Baltimore’s first preseason game. It caused him to miss last week’s contest against Detroit. Smith expects to return Thursday night against Jacksonville, a game that should feature most of Baltimore’s starters for significant minutes.

“Coach was being cautious so I could get it out of the way so it’s not lingering on,” Smith said. “I feel real better, and still have to practice to get better. But I’m fine.”

Entering the lockout-stricken 2011 season, Smith had to learn fast and encounter growing pains, despite the statistical success. With a full offseason of work, he hopes to elevate his game to a higher level in 2012.

“This time last year, I could barely walk and chew gum at the same time,” Smith said. “I was thinking so much about the assignment and kind of really worrying about things that I shouldn’t have been worrying about.”

NEW YORK (AP) Trainer Doug O’Neill is taking an unconventional path to a Triple Crown bid by using a series of strong gallops rather than formal workouts to prepare I’ll Have Another for the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

“There will be a lot of days when I’ll Have Another, strictly galloping, will pass a lot of workers,” O’Neill said Sunday morning after taking a red-eye flight from his West Coast base and being reunited with his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.

The last three Triple Crown champions, Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978), all drilled at least one mile in preparation for the 1½-mile “Test of the Champion.” The Belmont is the longest of the Triple Crown races.

O’Neill said his plan has everything to do with the vigor the colt brings to his daily morning regimen.

“If anyone got a chance to see him, he stretches and puts a lot of effort into his morning gallops,” he said.

I’ll Have Another was shipped to Belmont Park the morning after little-known jockey Mario Gutierrez, 25, ran down Bodemeister by a neck in the Preakness on May 19. His trainer was encouraged by everything he observed.

“His appetite is strong, his stride is great and his coat is there,” he said.

O’Neill added, “We have all the confidence in the world in I’ll Have Another. As long as he stays healthy and injury-free, we think he’ll be very tough.”

His pre-race handling of the colt is likely to spark discussion and debate. Seattle Slew, for instance, was given three workouts to fortify him for the Belmont marathon. He went three furlongs in a sizzling 354⁄5 seconds the day before he beat Run Dusty Run by four lengths.

I’ll Have Another appears to be well-prepared for the challenge ahead from a freshness standpoint. Shin problems sidelined him after he ran sixth in the Hopeful last Sept. 5, ending his 2-year-old season with three starts. He was the fifth consecutive Derby winner to compete in two prep races, pulling an upset at 43-1 in the Robert Lewis on Feb. 4 before edging Creative Cause by a nose in the Santa Anita Derby on April 7.

CALIFORNIA (AP) — Despite vigorously denying he gave one of his horses an illegal performance-enhancing mixture, trainer Doug O’Neill was suspended 45 days — a ban that won’t take effect until after his superstar colt, I’ll Have Another, tries to win the Triple Crown.

After a nearly two-year legal battle, California racing officials agreed with O’Neill but still found fault because of a rule that says trainers are ultimately responsible for horses in their care.

The ruling Thursday doesn’t prevent O’Neill from saddling his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

The suspension and $15,000 fine — which O’Neill can appeal — come in the final weeks of I’ll Have Another’s attempt to become horse racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed 34 years ago. The colt trained by O’Neill won the Derby on May 5 and took the Preakness on Saturday.

“I plan on examining and reviewing all of my options following the Belmont Stakes, but right now I plan on staying focused on preparing for and winning the Triple Crown,” O’Neill said in a statement.

The seven-member California Horse Racing Board met in closed session Thursday at Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., to consider the recommended decision of a hearing officer in O’Neill’s case. The board agreed with the officer’s recommendations on the punishment for O’Neill, who turned 44 on Thursday.

While elevated carbon dioxide is associated with “milkshaking,” the officer agreed with O’Neill that his horse Argenta had not been fed a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, sugar and electrolytes that enhances performance and combats fatigue. The officer did not indicate what might have caused the overage.

“I’m gratified that the CHRB found that I did not “milkshake” a horse or engage in any intentional conduct that would result in an elevated TC02 level,” O’Neill said.

The penalty comes at a time when racing is under heavy scrutiny for the way horses are prepared for their races.

O’Neill said he spent $250,000 defending himself.

“I know I didn’t milkshake a horse. None of us around the barn milkshaked any horses,” O’Neill said Wednesday. “You got to have rules and I respect rules, but when you get faulty science involved, it costs a lot of money unfortunately, but you’ve got to fight it and that’s what we’re doing.”

O’Neill ran into trouble after Argenta tested in excess of the permitted level of TCO2 — a Class 3 violation — after finishing
eighth in a race at Del Mar on Aug. 25, 2010. The horse is co-owned by Mark Verge, the CEO of Santa Anita race track and O’Neill’s childhood friend.

But the hearing officer, who could have recommended up to a 180-day suspension, advised that 135 days be stayed as long as O’Neill doesn’t have any Class 1, 2 or 3 medication violations in any state during an 18-month period.

It was O’Neill’s third total carbon dioxide violation in California and fourth in his career. In 2010, he was suspended and
fined for a similar offense involving one of his horses that ran in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course in suburban Chicago.

The officer found there were no suspicious betting patterns in the 2010 race and that there was no evidence of any intentional acts on the part of O’Neill in connection with the incident.

However before the hearing, the parties had stipulated that the Ken Maddy Laboratory at UC Davis detected an excess level of TCO2 in the horse’s blood sample, and CHRB Rule 1887 states a trainer is ultimately responsible for the condition of a horse, so O’Neill was punished.

CHRB executive director Kirk Breed will decide when O’Neill’s suspension will begin, but it will be no sooner than July 1.

The Jockey Club has said that elevated total carbon dioxide levels, regardless of cause, are violations of the rules and
penalties for excessive TCO2 are severe. It urges trainers and their veterinarians to work closely to identify any procedure or practices that may elevate such levels in horses.

STONY BROOK, N.Y. (AP) — Taylor Thornton scored twice, including the game-winning goal with 16:19 remaining and second-seeded Northwestern advanced to another women’s lacrosse national championship game with a 9-7 victory over No. 3 Maryland on Friday night.

Shannon Smith took just one shot on goal, but collected four assists in the victory. She set up goals by Alex Frank, Jessica Russo, Kara Mupo and Lacey Vigmostad.

Erin Fitzgerald and Amanda Macaluso also scored for Northwestern (20-2), which will face fourth-seeded Syracuse on Sunday for its seventh title in eight years. The Orange advanced with a 14-13, double-overtime victory over top-seeded Florida in the first semifinal.

Katie Schwarzmann scored three goals for Maryland (19-4), which lost to the Wildcats in last season’s championship game. Last year, the Terrapins opened a three-goal lead on the Wildcats, and they even held a two-goal margin early in the second half before folding.

Kristy Black, Karri Ellen Johnson, Kelly McPartland and Brooke Griffin also scored for Maryland, which had won eight straight games by scoring at least 12 goals.

Last year’s game also was decided by virtually the same score, though this year, the winner came much sooner than with 4½ minutes remaining. Thornton made it 8-6 by getting past a defender and going up the middle to beat Maryland goaltender Brittany Dipper for her 31st tally of the season.

The Terrapins overcame a one-goal deficit midway through the first half and took a 5-4 lead into halftime on Johnson’s 54th goal of the season. Schwarzmann gave the Terrapins a two-goal lead less than three minutes into the second half, but Northwestern tied it on goals by Kara Mupo and Amanda Macaluso 49 seconds apart.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas criticized the behavior of a few of his peers Wednesday, saying the actions of a few recent Kentucky Derby winners have tarnished the reputation of his profession.

Speaking at Pimlico Race Course, site of Saturday’s Preakness, Lukas said, “I’m very disappointed as a trainer that we have the stigma of some of our Derby winners not carrying the banner.”

He cited Rick Dutrow, who is appealing a 10-year suspension in New York for multiple medication violations, and Chip Woolley, who last year allegedly urinated on slot machines at a track in Iowa.

Lukas also mentioned I’ll Have Another trainer Doug O’Neill, who won the Derby on May 5 but faces charges of drugging a horse in California. O’Neill has denied the accusation.

“We’ve got Dutrow under suspension. We’ve got Chip Woolley (urinating) on the slot machines in casinos. And now Doug, at least, has some gray area hanging over him,” said Lukas, who will saddle Optimizer in the Preakness.

“That bothers me, frankly. I think those guys are all good enough they don’t need for there to be doubts. I think they can
train horses and not have that problem in front of them. They can do it the right way. That’s just the way I feel. I would say that if they were standing right here.”

Dutrow’s Big Brown won the Derby and Preakness in 2008. He sends out long shot Zetterholm in the Preakness.

Woolley in 2009 trained long shot Derby winner Mine That Bird, who ran second in the Preakness. Last year, security staff escorted Woolley from the casino at Prairie Meadows Racetrack.

O’Neill, meanwhile, has been accused by the California Horse Racing Board for “milkshaking,” the illegal practice of giving a horse a blend of bicarbonate of soda, sugar and electrolytes. The mixture is designed to reduce fatigue and enhance performance.

“We played by the rules and I am vigorously fighting the previous allegations,” O’Neill said Wednesday.

O’Neill faces his third total carbon dioxide violation in California and fourth in a career that has spanned 25 years.

O’Neill’s most recent violation dates from an Aug. 25, 2010, race at Del Mar in California. A blood test on his horse Argenta showed elevated levels of TCO2 before it finished eighth.

He faces penalties ranging from a minimum 90-day suspension and a $5,000 fine to a maximum 180-day suspension and fine of $15,000 depending on whether a hearing officer’s report finds aggravating circumstances or not.

“I’ll Have Another, along with every other horse in our barn goes through an intense physical exam and a blood and urine exam,” O’Neill said. “We run pure horses. We run a great operation, and anyone who comes to our barn all know that we love the horses and do everything we can to keep them at the top of their game. If I didn’t win the Derby, you guys wouldn’t be asking that.”

BALTIMORE (AP) — The new team behind the Grand Prix of Baltimore hopes to avoid previous promoters’ mistakes and build on the event’s success with fans as they dash toward a Labor Day finish line.

“Time is a big challenge,” said J.P. Grant of Race On LLC said Wednesday, after the city approved a five-year contract with the group just three-and-a-half months before the first race cars pull on to the downtown street course. “We’re running quickly, but efficiently.”

The approval clears the way for the group to begin selling tickets May 28 and signing deals with sponsors, said Grant, who will manage Race On with fellow Baltimore-area businessman Greg O’Neill. American Le Mans and IZOD IndyCar, the two headlining series from last year, plan to return Labor Day weekend.

Race On is working on a compressed timeline, but they’re hoping to learn from mistakes made with the inaugural event and deliver on their own promises. To help make that happen, Race On has hired Andretti Sports Marketing, led by retired racer Michael Andretti, to handle operations, sales, marketing and logistics.

The group has helped bring back struggling race events in Toronto, Milwaukee and St. Petersburg, Fla. and Baltimore’s event has potential, Andretti said. The former racer and IndyCar team owner attended the race weekend last year and said the idea that it might not return this year was “unacceptable.”

“It was an incredible success from the outside looking in,” Andretti said. “We’ve done a lot of research and we feel that this race could be — the — street event in the world.”

Last year’s event drew about 160,000 spectators over three days to a 2-mile course on city streets and a study found that the event generated a $47 million economic impact for the region. To a fan in the stands or watching at home, the event last year looked like a success.

“The problem was the company behind it,” said City Councilman William Cole, a top booster of the event that takes place in his district. “They struggled mightily.”

Promoter Baltimore Racing Development failed to make good on millions of dollars in debt to the city, state and vendors and the city eventually dropped the group’s five-year contract. The city, which was owed $1.5 million, expects the state comptroller’s office to collect $600,000 in taxes and it could pursue another $700,000 in fees still owed, according a spokesman for the mayor.

The city dropped a second contract with Downforce Racing LLC when that group missed deadlines and announced a deal with Race On last week.

As the city’s Board of Estimates approved the Race On contract Wednesday, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake noted that the new agreement includes safeguards for the city, including upfront payments for city services and guaranteed payments of admissions and amusement taxes.

Race On has the financial backing to ensure that everyone gets paid, Cole said.

“This is a different model,” he said. “It’s more sustainable.”

The biggest challenge is the short time before race day, but they will also have to be realistic about sponsorships in the first year, Andretti said. They’ll take care to avoid BRD’s mistakes, but last year’s event did demonstrate that it could be done.

“They created something that people understand,” he said.