Ex-Gouverneur standout enters college Hall

Gouverneur High School graduate Noreen Chamberlain Wagner will be inducted into the LaFayette College Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday.

Wagner attended LaFayette on a track and field scholarship and still ranks in the top 10 all-time in 10 different events. She captured six indoor and five outdoor East Coast Conference titles and was an 11-time ECC champion.

Wagner graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1988. She resides in Harrisburg, Pa., and works for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as an engineer.

At Gouverneur, Wagner lettered in track and field, soccer, basketball and volleyball, graduating in 1984.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Valentin hits for 31 in Canton overtime victory

MORRISVILLE — Former Watertown High standout Tony Valentin fired in 31 points Wednesday night to lead the SUNY Canton men's basketball team to an 87-83 overtime win over host Morrisville State College.

Valentin and Deric Alston each sank a three-pointer in overtime and converted key free throws down the stretch for the Kangaroos (1-3). Valentin finished with four three-pointers, shot 9 for 10 from the free throw line and added nine assists and seven rebounds. Alston finished with a season-high 20 points.

■ The SUNY Canton women's basketball team used a strong second half to knock off host Morrisville State College 53-35.

Shannon LaFave scored 11 of her team-high 18 points in the first half and also had eight rebounds for SUNY Canton (1-2). Abbey Shoen hauled in 11 rebounds.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Fla. governor wants Bowden back at Florida St.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Embattled Florida State coach Bobby Bowden has a high-profile alumnus on his side — Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Republican governor said Wednesday the Seminoles coach has been great for the school and the 80-year-old Bowden deserves respect. Some of Bowden's critics have called on him to retire at the end of the season.

Florida State is currently 5-5 and needs to win at least one more game to qualify for a bowl.

COLLEGE ACADEMICS

Athletes outperforming others in classroom

INDIANAPOLIS — College athletes are still setting records and dispelling myths — in the classroom.

The NCAA's latest graduation numbers show nearly four out of five student-athletes earn their diplomas on time, an all-time high, and federal statistics show athletes are still more likely to graduate on time than other students.

NCAA statistics show 79 percent of all freshmen entering school in 2002-03 graduated within six years, matching last year's record high. The four-class average, for students entering college between the fall of 1999 and the fall of 2002, also was 79 percent, a 1 percentage point increase over last year's record.

AUTO RACING

Ganassi hires McMurray to drive No. 1 Cup car

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Jamie McMurray has been hired to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.

The hiring reunites McMurray with car owner Chip Ganassi, who gave the driver his first Cup ride in 2002. McMurray drove 114 races for Ganassi, but left after the 2005 season to join Roush Fenway Racing.

F1 champ Button joins Hamilton at McLaren

LONDON — Formula One champion Jenson Button signed with McLaren on Wednesday to partner with Lewis Hamilton, giving the English team a potent lineup for next season featuring the most recent title holders.

McLaren said Button signed a "multiyear deal" after leaving constructors champion Brawn GP in the wake of its takeover by Mercedes-Benz this week.

The 29-year-old Button, who is replacing Heikki Kovalainen, was out of contract with Brawn GP after capturing his first F1 drivers' title last month and talks about a new deal had stalled.

TENNIS

Federer, Del Potro in same group for ATP Finals

LONDON — Top-ranked Roger Federer was drawn Wednesday to play both U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro and Andy Murray in the round-robin phase of the ATP World Tour Finals.

Federer, who lost to Del Potro in the U.S. Open final, will also face Fernando Verdasco in Group A.

Second-ranked Rafael Nadal was drawn into Group B with Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Robin Soderling.

OLYMPICS

Ramzi stripped of 1,500-meter gold medal

LONDON — Fifteen months after the Beijing Olympics, Bahraini middle-distance runner Rashid Ramzi was stripped of his 1,500-meter gold medal Wednesday and four other athletes were disqualified because of doping at the games.

The International Olympic Committee took action against the five athletes who tested positive in April in retroactive tests for CERA, an advanced version of the blood-boosting drug EPO.

SOCCER

U.S. loses to Denmark in final match of year

AARHUS, Denmark — The United States wasted an early goal by Jeff Cunningham and lost a World Cup warmup 3-1 to Denmark on Wednesday night, the final match of 2009 for the Americans.

Substitutes Johan Absalonsen, Soren Rieks and Martin Bernburg beat goalkeeper Brad Guzan during the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Cunningham scored in the 26th minute.

TIMES STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS