Indiana football coach Hoeppner loses battle with brain tumor at age 59

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Terry Hoeppner won nine games as Indiana's coach, but he will always be remembered as the program's rock.

The man hired to revive Indiana's foundering football program in 2004 died of complications from a brain tumor Tuesday morning at Bloomington Hospital with his family at his side. He was 59.

Hoeppner waged his personal battle with the same zeal that made him a popular coach.

"I think if you measure the man strictly by wins and losses, I think you're underselling a lot of attributes," athletic director Rick Greenspan said Tuesday. "He has really touched a lot of people, inspired a lot of people, and his memory will live on in these players and other people for a long time."

In two seasons, Hoeppner reinvigorated the program by embracing fans, students, boosters and, of course, players. He even nicknamed Memorial Stadium "The Rock." Now his legacy will be passed to Bill Lynch, a longtime friend who was named interim coach Friday.

golf

Wie withdraws from PGA event

Unable to break par against the women, Michelle Wie is taking a break from competing against the men.

Wie decided Tuesday to withdraw from the John Deere Classic as she tries to return from wrist injuries that have sent the 17-year-old from Hawaii into a deep slump of high scores and shrinking confidence.

"While my rehabilitation is on schedule, I do not have all of my strength back yet," Wie said in a statement. "The TPC Deere Run course is obviously very long, and I just don't have the length to play there right now."

Wie said she still plans to play next week in the U.S. Women's Open at Pine Needles, and she said she would keep playing the rest of the summer as she tries to regain strength in her wrists.

● Salpointe Catholic High School graduate Sara Brown fired her second straight 1-over-par 73 Tuesday and qualified for the Women's Amateur Public Links match-play field of 64.

Tiffany Lua of Rowland Heights, Calif., carded a 70 to win the stroke-play title, one shot ahead of reigning champion Kimberly Kim of Hilo, Hawaii, at the Kearney Hill Golf Links in Lexington, Ky.

Track

Mop fight puts runner in jail

PROVO, Utah — For a star runner at Brigham Young, this was hardly a clean getaway.

Kyle Perry was arrested last week after getting out of his car and striking a pedestrian — with a mop.

Perry's vehicle apparently got too close to the man, who was pushing a bucket with mops across a street Thursday, witnesses told police.

"Angry words were exchanged," Provo police Capt. Cliff Argyle said. "Mr. Perry exited his vehicle and grabbed a mop out of the pedestrian's mop bucket and started to strike the pedestrian.

"The pedestrian grabbed another mop and used it to defend himself," he said. "Eventually the pedestrian was shoved over a planter box and fell onto his back."

The man, who had a bump on his head, blocked Perry's car until police arrived and arrested the track star for aggravated assault, Argyle said. Any legal action from the mop fight is up to prosecutors.

In 2006, Perry won the Mountain West Conference title in the 1,500-meter run. He finished 12th in the same event at the NCAA track championship.

His performances were limited this year by injuries.