Milan Donley, an assistant track and field coach at Kansas University, has been named meet director of the Kansas Relays.

Donley, who has spent the past six seasons coaching horizontal jumpers for the Jayhawks, replaces Tim Weaver in managing one of the nation’s oldest and largest track and field meets.

“It is very exciting for me. I have been coaching for 24 years in Division I, and this is definitely a career change,” Donley said. “I have been involved in putting on track and field meets throughout my career, but to put on the Kansas Relays is a tremendous honor. It’s one of the top college meets in the country and is nationally recognized. It’s a great honor and I think there are a lot of great times ahead in putting this event on.”

Prior to coming to Kansas, Donley oversaw the development of 17 All-Americans, two national champions, four Olympic team members, two U.S. champions and two American record-holders while holding various track-and-field coaching positions around the country.

As head coach at East Tennessee State, Donley was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year three times. He guided 54 individual Southern Conference champions and two All-Americans, and his teams set 25 school records.

Donley also served as an assistant at Arkansas, where he coached eight All-Americans and 15 SEC individual champions.

The 2006 Kansas Relays were the 79th edition, drawing more than 620 teams and 5,300 athletes from high schools, colleges and the national circuit.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Kentucky suspends forward

Lexington, Ky. – Kentucky forward Sheray Thomas was suspended for the Wildcats’ first two exhibition games and the season opener because of an undisclosed rules violation.

The 6-foot-8 senior started 12 games last year and is expected to be a major contributor at power forward. Coach Tubby Smith said Thomas most likely would have started.

The Wildcats play host to NAIA Lindsey Wilson today. Thomas will miss that game, another exhibition against South Carolina Upstate and the Nov. 15 opener against Miami (Ohio). He is expected back Nov. 17 against Mississippi Valley State.

GOLF

Azinger tapped Ryder captain

Atlanta – Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo have competed on the golf course and shared space in a television tower as commentators. The next time they square off will be as Ryder Cup captains in two years at Valhalla.

Azinger, a former PGA champion and cancer survivor who played in four Ryder Cups without losing a singles match, has been selected the next American captain, according to two people with knowledge of the appointment.

They did not want to be identified because the PGA of America has not announced its selection, which could come as early as next week.

Azinger will be in charge of a U.S. team that has lost three straight times to Europe, including record margins (181â2-91â2) the last two matches. Last month in Ireland, Europe became the first team to win all five sessions of the matches.

BASEBALL

Mattingly Yanks’ bench coach

New York – Don Mattingly is moving up to New York Yankees’ bench coach next season, a promotion that makes him the early favorite one day to succeed Joe Torre as manager.

A six-time All-Star first baseman for the Yankees from 1982-95, Mattingly rejoined New York in 2004 as hitting coach. Torre, hired by New York before the 1996 season, is entering the final season of his contract and isn’t sure he wants to manage beyond 2007.

“It’s probably a step in that direction,” Mattingly said Wednesday.

Mets’ Mota suspended

New York – Reliever Guillermo Mota was suspended for 50 games Wednesday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, becoming the third player penalized this year for violating Major League Baseball’s toughened drug policy.

In announcing the suspension, the commissioner’s office did not say why Mota was suspended. His failed drug test was confirmed by a baseball official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the specifics weren’t included in the release.

The 33-year-old pitcher was 4-3 with a 4.53 earned-run average this season with Cleveland and the New York Mets.

Phils, Rowand decline options

Philadelphia – Aaron Rowand and the Philadelphia Phillies both declined their respective options for the 2007 season on Wednesday, making the center fielder eligible for salary arbitration. Rowand hit .262 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs in 109 games before his season ended after he broke his ankle in a collision during an Aug. 22 game at Chicago.

Giants part with Finley, Wright

San Francisco – The San Francisco Giants on Wednesday declined to exercise club options for 2007 on outfielder Steve Finley and right-hander Jamey Wright. The Giants will give Finley a $1 million buyout instead of picking up his $7 million option. Wright gets a $300,000 buyout instead of a $2.5 million salary for 2007. The two became eligible to file for free agency.

AUTO RACING

Robby Gordon penalized

Charlotte, N.C. – NASCAR penalized Robby Gordon on Wednesday for intentionally causing a caution at Atlanta Motor Speedway that affected the race outcome for championship contender Jeff Burton. Gordon, who owns his own race team, was docked 50 driver points and 50 car-owner points and fined $15,000 for throwing a piece of roll bar padding onto the track during Sunday’s race at Atlanta. The debris caused NASCAR to call a caution, which helped Gordon to his 10th-place finish but hurt Burton’s final result.

TRACK AND FIELD

Coach to be indicted

San Francisco – Track coach Trevor Graham was expected to be indicted as early as today for obstructing the same federal probe he helped spark three years ago by mailing vials of a designer steroid to anti-doping authorities. Graham will be charged with making false statements to investigators, two Justice Department officials with knowledge of the investigation told the Associated Press.

TENNIS

Clijsters victorious in return

Hasselt, Belgium – Defending champion Kim Clijsters played her first match since August, coming back from a wrist injury by beating Luxembourg’s Anne Kremer, 6-3, 6-2, Wednesday in the first round of the Gaz de France Stars.