Mark Maloney on sports

Two Eastern Kentucky University seniors have been named to the Sports Network All-America football team.

Place-kicker Taylor Long was named to the first team, while safety Brandon Gathof made the third team. They were instrumental in helping the Colonels to an 8-4 record, a 20th Ohio Valley Conference championship, 31st consecutive winning season and a berth in the NCAA playoffs.

Long, from Hopkinsville, finished his EKU career as the program’s leading kick-scorer with 285 points. He made 20 field goals in 2008, ranking second in NCAA Division I FCS (formerly known as I-AA).

Gathof, from LaGrange, is a three-time all-Ohio Valley Conference pick and a repeat third-team all-American with Sports Network. He started all 12 games in 2008, finishing second on the team with 81 tackles and five interceptions. He led the Colonels with six pass break-ups.

EKU offensive lineman Sam Reid in action.

Honors continue to come for Eastern Kentucky University’s football team.

Friday, offensive lineman Sam Reid was named to the 11th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Director Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star team. (Try fitting that inscription on an award!)

The announcement was made at Chattanooga, Tenn., where Richmond will face Montana in the FCS title game. Reid is among 43 players cited, and one of two from the Ohio Valley Conference. To be eligible for the award, student-athletes must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) and have been a starter or key player with legitimate credentials.

Reid, a second-team all-OVC pick from Carlisle, Ky., changed positions from tight end to center in 2008. He started all 12 games, helping the Colonels to their second OVC title in a row. A team captain, Reid earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice last spring and is now working towards a master’s degree. He is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National Athletic Honor Society.

Notes from Thursday’s (e-)mailbag.

* From Keith Elkins of the Lexington Legends ….

Alan Stein, president and CEO of the Legends and Omaha Royals, is the first recipient of the Presidential Citation from Minor League Baseball for outstanding service. MiLB President Pat O’Conner presented the award during the recent baseball winter meetings in Las Vegas.

Stein has served since 2006 as the South Atlantic League’s elected representative on Minor League Baseball’s board of trustees, elected vice chairman in 2007. O’Connor said Stein’s overall service was worthy of recognition, but noted in particular Stein’s role in this year’s agreement between MiLB and Major League Baseball Advanced Media on the bundled internet rights program. The Baseball Internet Rights Company, formed as a result of the agreement, bundles internet content of all clubs, with the purpose of significantly increasing the volume and availability of information about MiLB to an international audience.

* From Michael Clark at Eastern Kentucky University …

Senior place-kicker Taylor Long of Hopkinsville has been named second-team all-American by The Associated Press. Taylor finished his career with the Colonels as the program’s all-time leader in kick points, 285. Included were 20 field goals this season. He had a 13-for-13 stretch this season, including an overtime game-winner against Austin Peay, and booted a career-best 50-yarder against Eastern Illinois. Overall, he was 20-for-27 this season, averaging 7.3 points a game.

His 49 career field goals ties the EKU record set by Dale Dawson (1983-86), and his 138 PAT points are a school record.

* From Julie Bartell at USA Softball …

Crystl Bustos, the top power hitter in the game, has been named by the Amateur Softball Association as USA Softball Player of the Year.

Bustos came through in the clutch, blasting a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to give the U.S. a 4-1 victory over Japan and a spot in the gold-medal game at the Beijing Olympics. Although Japan won the gold-medal game, Bustos provided the only American run with a home run before drawing her third intentional walk of the Games.

Overall, Bustos hit .500 (11-for-22) at Beijing, with six homers, 10 RBI and 12 runs before retiring. The six homers and 1.318 slugging percentage broke her own Olympic records of five homers and .923 slugging at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The 10 RBI tie her Olympic record set at Athens. She finishes with the career home run Olympic record, 14, over three Olympics.

Eastern Kentucky University announced the signing of two men’s basketball recruits Tuesday.

Spencer Perrin, a 6-foot-5 small forward, helped Boyle County to the 12th Region championship by averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds as a senior in 2007. He is now in his second season at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Ill.

Willie Cruz is a 6-4 guard, now a senior at L’Anse Creuse High School near Detroit. Cruz averaged 20.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season. He was named all-conference, second-team all-area and honorable mention all-state.

EKU (0-1) plays its home opener tonight at 7 against Winston-Salem.

Defending NCAA champion Oregon retains the top spot in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association men’s poll, released Tuesday.

Oklahoma State moved up a spot to No. 2, trading places with Stanford.

The top four women’s teams remain unchanged: Washington, Oregon, Florida State and Princeton. Villanova climbs a spot to No. 5. Three-time defending NCAA champion Stanford is No. 11.

Although no Kentucky teams are ranked nationally, four men’s teams are among the top 15 in the Southeast Region: No. 4 Eastern Kentucky, No. 9 Louisville, No. 12 Kentucky and No. 15 Morehead State.

The women’s Southeast Region has UK at No. 7, U of L at No. 11.