La Salle

La Salle University has placed men's basketball coach Billy Hahn and women's coach John Miller on paid administrative leave in the wake of a police investigation into rape allegations against three players. The allegations cover two separate incidents on the school's Philadelphia campus over the past two years. Hahn completed his third season at La Salle in March after a 12-year run as a Maryland men's assistant under Gary Williams. Citing the Buckley Amendment, which protects students right to privacy, university spokesman Joe Donovan yesterday would confirm only that the administrative leave was effective Tuesday, "but was not, according to the university, a disciplinary action."

Two prominent La Salle University basketball players, including former Calvert Hall star Gary Neal, face sexual-assault charges in Philadelphia today after a two-week investigation into an alleged rape of a 19-year-old woman last month on the school's campus. Mike Cleaves, a sophomore guard from Paterson, N.J., turned himself into the Special Victims Unit of the Philadelphia police and has been charged with a long list of sexual offenses, including rape. According to Special Victims Unit detective Harry Young, an arrest warrant was signed last night for Neal, a sophomore guard from Aberdeen.

Junior midfielder Kerry Shea can get Seton Keough's ninth-ranked girls lacrosse team off to a quick start, and that's important for the Gators. Over the past three years, they have gone 31-1-1 when tied or leading at halftime and 3-16-1 when trailing. In Tuesday's 11-6 win over No. 14 Mount de Sales, Shea scored the Gators' first four goals, giving them a 4-1 lead at the half. "The most important thing that Kerry does for us is set the tone of the game," said first-year Gators coach Tierney Ahearn.

Caitlin Marshall scored a game-high four goals and four players had three goals each as the No. 16 Towson women's team defeated La Salle, 20-11, in a nonconference game yesterday in Philadelphia. The Tigers (12-3) took a 9-5 advantage into halftime and outscored the Explorers (3-10) 11-6 in the second half. Becky Trumbo and Erin Cayea each had three goals and two assists for Towson. Men Washington College 18, Haverford 6: Stephen Berger and Jon Spivey had four goals and two assists each as the Shoremen (13-0, 6-0)

On March 22, 2004, BRO. GABRIEL T. CANNON, F.S.C., 78 years as a Christian Brother, of which 12 were spent as Principal of Calvert Hall College High School. Beloved son of the late Dorothy Burns Cannon and Patrick J. Cannon, uncle of Sheila Bryant and Peter Mellett of Maywood, NJ. Friends may call at the Calvert Hall College High School Fine Arts Theatre on Friday from 6:30 to 8 P.M., at which time a Funeral Mass will be celebrated and at La Salle Hall, Ammendale, Beltsville, MD, on Saturday from 11 to 12 noon, at which time a Funeral Mass will be celebrated.

Maryland men's assistant coach Jimmy Patsos has strengthened his chances of becoming the new Loyola College basketball coach since he was a finalist for the job four years ago, said a source close to the school's athletic program yesterday. "Jimmy is a very strong candidate," said the source. "He has been out recruiting [the past three years since top Maryland assistant Billy Hahn left for La Salle] since he was a candidate the last time. That has to help him a lot." Meanwhile, Loyola athletic director Joe Boylan said he wants to have a coach in place before the Final Four starts April 3. "We have our selection committee chosen," he said.

The sudden emergence of sophomore wide receiver John Zabel as an offensive force was a pleasant surprise in La Salle's 3-8 season. Zabel, 6 feet 2, 182 pounds, gave the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Explorers instant offense the moment he stepped on the field as a starter in the third game of the season against the College of New Jersey. The former Mount Hebron standout caught two touchdown passes and rolled up 222 receiving yards on five catches in a come-from-behind, 28-27 victory.

Move over, Sue Bird. Look out, Ginny Doyle. Jill Marano just put together an unbelievable season at the free-throw line for La Salle University. The former Arundel High star hit 88 of 93 free throws, 94.6 percent, which is expected to go down as the second-best foul-shooting season in the history of NCAA women's basketball. The mark should become official once the women's tournament is completed and the season is over. Marano, a 5-foot-7 sophomore shooting guard, passed the celebrated Bird (94.2 percent in 2001-02)

There is another Baltimore freshman basketball sensation on the loose, and this one is playing under former Maryland assistant coach Billy Hahn at La Salle. Gary Neal has been putting on a long-range show, hitting 12 of 24 three-point shots in just the second and third games of his collegiate career. The three-point surges by the former Calvert Hall and Aberdeen star highlighted a two-game performance last week that produced 24 points in a 70-66 victory over Lafayette and 27 points in a 97-80 loss to Marist.

PHILADELPHIA - Billy Hahn has recruited in this city for nearly a quarter-century and been a head coach, but the credentials that led La Salle to hire him for its rebuilding job weren't evident to the casual Maryland basketball fan. Those who knew Hahn only as the first guy in the line of fire when Gary Williams spun from the floor and verbally exploded would be surprised to learn what unfolded when the crowds left and the television cameras powered down....