Golden Panther takes third at NCAA Championship

Senior Ronald Forbes claimed third place and All-American honors in the 60 meter hurdles on March 14 at the 2008 NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field Championship at the University of Arkansas’ Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.

Forbes crossed the line in 7.58 seconds, breaking his own school record of 7.68 from earlier this season.

The student-athlete clinched All-American status by running a 7.74 in the prelims, which was his second-fastest 60-meter time of the year at the time. It was the seventh fastest time overall among the 16 competitors in the prelims and third in the second heat.

Forbes qualified for the national race by virtue of his 7.77 time in the 60 hurdles at the Virginia Tech Last Chance meet, which is the ninth best time in the country this year.

To read more about Forbes’ performance, click here.

Coach Cristobal adds Bill Legg to football staff

Bill Legg, a former Purdue co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, has accepted the position of offensive coordinator at FIU.

“Coach Legg is a veteran who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with him,” Head Coach Mario Cristobal said. “He is a great teacher, a great communicator and a dynamic leader who has worked at championship programs. He will bring the kind of leadership that will help our program get to the next level and we’re thrilled to have him on staff.”

Legg, native of Poca, W.Va., earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1985 and a master’s in education in 1987, both from West Virginia. He coached five seasons at Purdue and was the co-offensive coordinator for the last two.

Calling most of the offensive plays, the 2006 Boilermakers led the Big Ten in passing offense (291.6 yards per game) and total offense (415.7), ranking sixth and 13th nationally. In 2007, Purdue again led the Big Ten in total offense (435.92) and scoring offense (34.31) and ranked 12th nationally in passing offense (307.15).

Legg coached the Purdue offensive line from 2003 to 2005, but concentrated solely on the centers and guards over the last two seasons. To read more about Legg and his accomplishments throughout the years, click here.

FIU loses softball tournament finale to Oregon State

FIU fell, 4-1, to Oregon State on the final game of the 2008 Blue & Gold Felsberg Memorial on March 9.

A couple of hits and a hit batter loaded up the bases for Oregon State in the top of the second. Nonetheless, Golden Panther Kasey Barrett induced a fly to right for the third out of the inning, squashing the Beavers’ rally.

FIU got on the board in the bottom of the second on an RBI double to left-center by Lisa Brooks. Ashley Falk led off with a single up the middle and was sacrificed over to second. Brooks then yanked a pitch into the gap for the 1-0 FIU lead.

A couple of singles and stolen bases allowed Oregon State to even the score in the top of the third and the Beavers took the lead in the fifth, scoring three runs on five singles to make the score 4-1.

Barrett took the loss for FIU, dropping to 8-8 on the season.