IN BRIEF

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

New coach Rodriguez fires Michigan assistants

Rich Rodriguez fired Michigan’s assistant coaches Thursday, his second day as an employee of the school.

Rodriguez met with the coaches one by one at Schembechler Hall, as retiring coach Lloyd Carr packed up his belongings in boxes, clearing space for his successor.

Carr will coach the Wolverines on Jan. 1 against Florida in the Capital One Bowl, ending his 13th season as their head coach, then Rodriguez will take over.

But the former West Virginia coach already put his mark on the program by firing each of Carr’s assistants, all of whom were given two-year deals in March that will pay them through Feb. 28, 2009. Their firings are effective after the bowl game.

Also: Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow pulled his name from consideration for UCLA’s head coaching job.

Chow interviewed for the job last weekend while in Kansas City, Mo., the night before the Titans’ 26-17 victory over the Chiefs.

Felony assault charges were refiled in State College, Pa., against two Penn State players two weeks after a judge dismissed the same charges at a preliminary hearing.

Defensive tackle Chris Baker and linebacker Navorro Bowman were charged with being part of a group of more than a dozen people that beat a man during a fraternity party on Oct. 7 at the student union building on campus.

Ohio State backup cornerback Eugene Clifford will not play in the BCS national championship game against Louisiana State after being suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

Wisconsin tight end Travis Beckum plans to return for his senior season with the Badgers.

Beckum had 73 catches for 960 yards this year, the most among tight ends in the nation and a school record.

HOCKEY

Gaborik nets NHL’s first five-goal game since ’96

Marian Gaborik posted the NHL’s first five-goal game in 11 years, lifting the Minnesota Wild to a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers in St. Paul, Minn.

Gaborik’s outburst was the biggest in the league since Sergei Fedorov scored five for Detroit on Dec. 26, 1996, in an overtime game against Washington. Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux was the last to net five in regulation, pulling off the feat on March 26, 1996, versus St. Louis.

Also: Buffalo Sabres center Derek Roy missed practice and is day to day with a shoulder injury.

Roy, Buffalo’s leading scorer with 29 points in 32 games, was hurt in the first period of Wednesday’s win over the New York Islanders.

MISCELLANEOUS

Wie not invited to play PGA Tour’s Sony Open

Michelle Wie might start her 2008 season in Hawaii, but not at the Sony Open.

Wie, who has played the PGA Tour event every year since 2004, did not receive one of the four unrestricted sponsor exemptions, tournament director Ray Stosik said.

Swing coach David Leadbetter said the 18-year-old from Honolulu likely would ask for exemptions at one or both of the LPGA Tour events in Hawaii that kick off the women’s golf season in February. He also said competition against the men would probably be on hold until she gets her health and her game back together.

Also: UNLV women’s soccer player Katie Carney was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-West Region third team.

Carney, a senior forward, led the Rebels in scoring (21 points) for the fourth straight year.

UNLV’s Bailey Kuestermeyer and Wendy Williams were named the Mountain West Conference Women’s Swimmer and Diver of the Week.

Both helped the Rebels claim the team title at the UNLV Winter Invite last weekend.