Athletics News

Katelynas Wins NCAA Slam Dunk Contest and participates in Portsmouth Invitational

 Mindaugas Katelynas is the 2005 champion of the Mountain Dew College Slam Dunk Championships.

The senior from Alytus, Lithuania, recorded two consecutive perfect scores of 60 points and beat out seven other competitors from various college basketball programs.

Katelynas was the leader after the first dunk, scoring a 55.1 on a baseline, under-the-basket slam. He added a score of 56.2 on his second dunk to be one of four to advance to the semifinals.

In the finals Katelynas needed just 33 points to win the contest. He raced in from the left wing, made the jump while moving the ball under his legs and threw the ball down on the right side of the rim with his right hand.

He was awarded his second straight score of 60 to win the trophy.

"The crowd came to see a show," he said after the contest. "I knew I could have won it with an average dunk, but I wanted to do something special to close it out. These are all excellent athletes, and I am very excited to win."

The Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships were held at the Washington University Field House in conjunction with the NCAA Men's Basketball Championships Final Four.

In the Portsmouth Invitational, a pre-draft camp that showcases the talents of many of the nation’s best senior players, Katelynas led the Norfolk Navy Shipyard team to a third-place finish.

For the tournament, Katelynas finished second on his team in scoring with 40 points, one shy of the leader, Ed McCants of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He shot 48.6 percent from the field, was 1-for-7 from three-point range and 3-6 from the charity stripe. He averaged 13.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.

---

Faculty committee studies football program

A Football Study Committee was created by the UTC Faculty Senate in 2004 to provide a report to the Faculty Senate and UTC community on the financial costs and benefits of the UTC Football program. The committee completed the report in spring 2005, and the findings of the report were announced to the public.

Dr. Tom Rybolt, UC Foundation Professor of Chemistry, chaired the committee, which offered no recommendations to the University.

UTC officials, including Interim President Fred Obear, have said that the University is not considering dropping football but would consider ideas to strengthen the progam. University policy requires the athletic board to examine an issue of this magnitude, and at the board’s last meeting, the football program was not an agenda item.

“The University welcomes ideas to strengthen the football program,” said Chuck Cantrell, spokesman for the University. “The faculty study expressed concerns that the University would take over the management of Finley Stadium. Since Frank Burke will soon assume management of Finley, the University looks forward to working with Burke to make this football season memorable.”