Omaha, Neb. ? Greg McDermott says Creighton’s mid-major label is no reason to put a limitation on what the Bluejays can achieve.

After a rocky four years at Iowa State, McDermott was introduced Tuesday as Creighton’s new coach. His first order of business is to restore the Bluejays as the class of the Missouri Valley Conference.

COLLEGES

NCAA names president

Indianapolis — University of Washington president Mark A. Emmert became the NCAA’s new chief executive on Tuesday, ending the search that began in November. Emmert succeeds Myles Brand, who died last September from pancreatic cancer. Brand was the first ex-university president to lead college sports’ largest governing body and the first chief executive to die in office. Jim Isch has served as interim president since Sept. 22 and will continue to do so for the next several months.

Emmert will begin his duties Nov. 1. NCAA officials said Emmert was given a five-year contract.

It was a surprise choice. The early front-runners were University of Hartford president Walter Harrison, Georgia president Michael Adams and NCAA executive Bernard Franklin.

BASEBALL

Uecker to have surgery

Milwaukee — Milwaukee Brewers radio announcer Bob Uecker is scheduled to undergo heart surgery Friday and is expected to need two to three months to recover. Uecker, a Hall of Fame announcer, won a World Series ring with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 and played in Philadelphia and Atlanta before retiring in 1967. He starred in commercials and the television sitcom “Mr. Belvedere.”

Rangers shelve Cruz

Arlington, Texas — Texas Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, a day after he reaggravated his strained right hamstring and had to come out of a game early for the third time in a week.

Rays’ Navarro suspended

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Tampa Bay catcher Dioner Navarro began serving a two-game suspension Tuesday for bumping an umpire during an argument.

NFL

Bears trade for safety

Charlotte, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have traded starting strong safety Chris Harris to the Chicago Bears, continuing their offseason overhaul.

The Panthers get linebacker Jamar Williams in Tuesday’s deal, while Harris returns to Chicago less than three years after he was traded to Carolina.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Penn player found dead

Philadelphia — University of Pennsylvania officials say one of the football team’s captains has been found dead in his off-campus residence. University spokeswoman Lori Doyle says Wharton junior Owen Thomas was found dead at 2 p.m. Monday. She says the cause of death has not been determined, but “no foul play is suspected.”

NBA

Hawks guard top sixth man

Atlanta — Accepting a backup role for the first time in his career, Atlanta Hawks guard Jamal Crawford was rewarded for his unselfishness Tuesday by being named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Crawford won the award going away with 580 of a possible 610 points, including 110 out of 122 first-place votes. Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks finished second with 220 points, and Anderson Varejao of the Cleveland Cavaliers (126 points) finished third.